
C- 


U‘rfV«V-A, 


* 

» 


fn 

t *• 
tm * 

• • 

fi 

1 ■•■ ► * * 

.VW5 


vx 

y 

.\‘iic.V^5Si.Vu‘S 

». 4 

wr 

■5r%»t.“»^ 

■V.n*-^.*.; 


































Book_CB-7-9 -i- 

GoiyriglitTl?-JIl -Q-g^ 

coratiGifr DEPosar 


1 





K •' A i' 

1 •. • 


■if rt^c. -■ ''A 




\;V, .. 

f 


» . > M 

■ -rV- 
■ < '' 


• i' ^^- ;: .' ■ , 

-•». . ■ \ ’ 



. ; . .. . . 


■ ■ f 

/‘M. 

... .; 

... \. 

'■ ■'• ■ i-' *;;.*''■■ ' 


% . * 

• ' s ,V , ;. , 

^ <^i'0 '•• - ' ' 


,‘ '• • . ' 




4 




t % 


k 




* 




I 








, * 

» 




t 






> 


, ' V \ 


• / 



DOROTHY DAINTY AT 
GEM ISLAND 


popular Stories. 

By AMY BROOKS. 

Each illustrated by the Author. 

THE RANDY BOOKS. 

zamo. Cloth. Cover Designs by the Author. Price, $ 1,35 each, 
RANDY’S SUMMER. RANDY'S GOOD TIMES. 


RANDY'S WINTER. 

RANDY AND HER FRIENDS. 
RANDY AND PRUE. 


RANDY’S LUCK. 
RANDY'S LOYALTY, 
RANDY’S PRINCE. 


3for IPounger IReabere. 

DOROTHY DAINTY SERIES. 

Large zamo. Cloth. Cover Designs by the Author. Set in large 
English type. Price, $ 1.35 each. 

DOROTHY DAINTY. 

DOROTHY'S PLAYMATES. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT SCHOOL. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT THE SHORE. 

DOROTHY DAINTY IN THE CITY. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT HOME. 

DOROTHY DAINTY'S GAY TIMES. 

DOROTHY DAINTY IN THE COUNTRY. 

DOROTHY DAINTY'S WINTER. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT THE MOUNTAINS. 

DOROTHY DAINTY'S HOLIDAYS. 

DOROTHY DAINTY'S VACATION. 

DOROTHY DAINTY'S VISIT. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT CRESTVILLE. 

DOROTHY DAINTY'S NEW FRIENDS. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT GLENMORE. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT FOAM RIDGE. 

DOROTHY DAINTY AT THE STONE HOUSE 
DOROTHY DAINTY AT GEM ISLAND 


THE PRUE BOOKS. 

lamo. Cloth. Cover Designs by the Author. $1.00 each. 
LITTLE SISTER PRUE. PRUE’S MERRY TIMES. 
PRUE AT SCHOOL. PRUE'S LITTLE FRIENDS. 

PRUE’S PLAYMATES. PRUE’S JOLLY WINTER. 


A JOLLY CAT TALE, 
trated. Price . 


Large xamo. Cloth. 


Profusely Ulus- 
$ 1-35 


I 








. ^ * 










k. 


I 




V 


i 


• « ■ 




• . 




f 


% 



« 






\ 



4 


f 


4 




I 


i 


I 



f *• ‘V. 

.V' ? 


' 'l‘ 


I 

t 


• V. 




Around they flew in a circle, light of foot, and light of 

HEART. — Page 109, 


DOROTHY DAINTY 
AT GEM ISLAND 


v/ 


BY 

AMY BROOKS 


WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR 





BOSTON 

LOTHROR LEE & SHEPARD CO. 



zo- Z'bns 


DOROTHY DAINTY 


Trade-Mark 

ReKiatered in U. S. Patent Office 



Published, August, 1920 




CoprnioHT, 1990, Br Lothhop, Lxk & Shipaed Co. 


All rightt reserved 


DOROTHY DAINTY AT GEM ISLAND 


'norwoo& preeB 

BERWICK & SMITH Ca 

KOBWOOD, MASS. 

V. s. A- 



SEP -9 1920 


©aA576319 ^ 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I A Startling Happening 1 

II The Sea King 21 

III Quicksands 39 

IV A Rainy Day 57 

V An Island Party 78 

VI Pirate Bar 103 

VII The Ship on the Bar 114 

VIII Antony 134 

IX At Betty’s Cottage 152 

X On the Promontory 171 

XI Playing “Giant” 192 

XII At the Gift Shop 210 










ILLUSTRATIONS 


Around they flew in a circle, light op foot, 

AND LIGHT OF HEART {Page 109) . Frontispicce 

FACING 

PAGE 

Oh, what a monstrous footprint it was ! . . 8 


With arms extended, she made her offering 
TO the Sea King 32 

The wind fairly blew Vera along .... 66 


Antony knelt by the cliff, and listened . . 146 

“Don’t you almost think you see a sail?” . 186 


DOROTHY 
AT GEM ISLAND 


CHAPTER I 

A STARTLING HAPPENING 

T he little waves danced and glistened 
in the sunlight as if golden spangles 
floated on their crests. One couM hardly eee 
where sky and ocean met, because a soft haze 
hung over the water away off there where the 
vessels looked so tiny as they moved slowly 
along. 

Dorothy sat on the big ledge, waiting for 
Nancy, little Fluff close beside her. 

At first the small dog had felt cosy, and 

content, but now he was becoming restless. 

1 


2 


DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘ ‘ Go find Nancy ! ’ ’ Dorothy said, and away 
he bounded, barking with delight when he 
saw her coming toward him. 

We’ve been here three days, and we 
haven’t yet seen all the lovely places on this 
dear little island. Its name just suits it. 
It is a gem!” said Nancy. “From here the 
two houses look like one big house, and the 
tall trees behind it are fine.” 

“Flossie Barnet says that the salt air 
makes the fiowers bright, and she told me 
that away over on the farther end of this 
island there are masses of little yeUow wild- 
flowers, just yellow petals on slender stems,” 
said Dorothy. 

^ ‘ Oh, come on ! ” cried Nancy. ‘ ‘ Let’s go 
and see if we can find them. Flossie has 
gone over to Foam Ridge in the little launch 
with Uncle Harry, but I guess we can find 
the place. She said it was a long walk from 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 


3 


here, along the beach, on the other end of 
this island.” 

‘‘I truly think it would be twice as fine to 
go some day when we have Betty Chase over 
here, and then Flossie could show us just 
where it is, and we’d be a nice little party of 
four, instead of just us two,” Dorothy said. 

It did seem as if the pleasure would be 
greater if the four little friends were to- 
gether, and when Flossie returned she, too, 
felt sure that Betty would be a gay com- 
panion on the long walk. 

Come up on the cliff, and we’ll take turns 
reading the book that Uncle Harry just 
bought for me over at Foam Ridge. I mean, 
read it aloud so we can all be enjoying it at 
the same time,” said Flossie, “and he gave 
me this box of bonbons, and we’ll share that, 
too.” 

Dear little Flossie! Half of her delight 


4 


DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


in her gifts was the joy of sharing them with 
her friends. 

They climbed to the top of the cliff, and 
choosing a spot that was shaded by trees and 
shrubbery, they sat down to enjoy both book 
and candy. 

The story was the old favorite, ‘‘Robinson 
Crusoe,’’ new to Flossie, but Dorothy and 
Nancy had read it many times. 

Each time that they had read it, its charm 
had seemed even stronger than before, so 
they did not tell Flossie that they already 
knew the tale, but commenced to read it, 
Dorothy reading first, then Nancy, then 
Flossie. 

Often they paused to talk of what they 
had been reading, and it was not long before 
the book was half read, and the candy box 
empty. They had reached the page that told 
of Robinson’s terror when, believing himself 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 


5 


to be the only person who had ever set foot 
upon the island, he discovered a human foot- 
print on the sand. 

A finely colored picture on the opposite 
page seemed to impress the little readers 
with the horror of Robinson’s discovery. 

‘‘Oh — 0 — o!” cried Flossie, “no wonder 
he was scared ! I ’m sure I would have been 
as frightened as he!” 

“So would we, ” cried Dorothy and Nancy, 
as if with one voice. 

“And, Dorothy,” Nancy said, “I do be- 
lieve that story seems more real because 
we’re now living on an island.” 

“Do you suppose we’d be startled if we 
saw a footprint on the sand?” said Flossie. 

“A big one?” Dorothy asked. 

‘ ‘ Oh — o, ’ ’ N ancy said slowly. 

Dorothy turned to look at her, puzzled at 
the odd note in her voice. 


6 


DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“But we wouldn’t find a footprint like 
that,” said Flossie, who was still looking at 
the picture, “because that’s the print of a 
bare foot, and there’s only your family and 
ours on this little island — and — we don’t 
go barefoot.” 

She laughed gaily, and tossed the book 
upon the grass. 

“It’s a long story,” she said, “and I’m 
just a teenty bit scared now, so I guess we’ll 
read the rest of it another time.” 

“Don’t you long to know who had been on 
that island to make that big footprint?” 
Dorothy asked. 

“Yes, I do,” Flossie said, “but I don’t 
want to read it just now, for if I did, and 
any one should happen to come up behind 
me, I do think I’d jump right up and run, 
I’d be so scared!” 

She picked up the book, and as the sun 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 


7 


was now directly overhead, they went down 
the rough steps that had been cut in the 
ledge, and walked along a little path that was 
shaded by tall shrubbery. 

The salt breeze blew in from the sea, and 
it seemed cooler than when they had sat high 
up on the cliff. 

They were still talking of the wonderful 
story, and of Robinson’s great terror at what 
he had seen on the sand. 

“Let’s run a race, and see which one of us 
is first on the beach!” cried Flossie. 

Nancy was ahead of the others, and laugh- 
ing as she ran, and would soon have been out 
of reach, but suddenly she stopped, and 
stared down at the sand as if spellbound by 
what she saw. 

There, on the sand before her, was the 
print of a foot, a bare foot, but oh, what a 
monstrous footprint it was! Flossie was 


8 


DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


the first to reach her, as she stood looking 
down at that footprint, Nancy’s face was 
white. 

‘‘What is it?” Dorothy asked as she ran 
toward them. 

Flossie pointed at the footprint on the 
sand, and Dorothy looked, staring in amaze- 
ment at its huge proportions. The three lit- 
tle friends were, at that moment, thinking 
the same thoughts. 

For an instant they stood staring at it, 
and then, without a word, they turned and 
ran ; ran as if their lives depended upon the 
speed that they could make. 

“Everybody has gone somewhere cried 
Flossie. “Mother and Aunt Vera and 
Uncle Harry have gone over to Foam Ridge. 
They went just as soon as they’d brought 
me back here with my book and my box of 
candy.” 



Oh, what a monstrous footprint it was \—Page 7. 





• 

»v 







>> .•■ • *' ‘IwiPuif^' ^ ^ .'^a35' • 

^ ■’•■''' V'-''-' ■ . XC-f *^\-/' • \ ' V 

‘ a' ' tl* 


. ^ * ' V 

_*' •■ • ' <•0 I 

~ - ' k **/ P 4 T . , I 

f'n i '. i •'"3 s -r ‘ 

"■ ' •■V'i '.t ’ '^.- - *^84^4 


pa^i 












- * '■ ■^* 
r-'j '•<•> - 


’ ■■•!> -^WPs*- : ■ . , . - '■'.m-xv^ - ■ V. 

® V 'SP/I; '5^=''* : 

'w^f‘^i r * rrAf^ r rT#ii^r I Im I * ^iir , ^ ■■ «*- ^ ' iidr«*fV/ , ^ jS,.- .' 7 


?vi •. 

r'lkv'G?' yv 

¥. klisT* ••' ■• *^S 




:w' 


fell 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 


9 


“O dear! Mother went to the city with 
Aunt Charlotte this morning!” said Doro- 
thy. ‘ ‘ I wish they were home. ’ ’ 

“There’s John,” gasped Nancy, as she 
pointed toward a quaint figure bending over 
some fine rose-bushes. “Let’s get him!” 

“Well, well, an’ it’s runnin’ ye are on a 
hot day loike this? Sure I’d think ye tree 
little ladies should sit in the shade an’ be 
cool loike,” said John, his eyes twinkling as 
he looked at the three eager faces. 

“Oh, but John, we were so scared by what 
we saw down on the beach!” cried Dorothy, 
“and we rushed back to the house, and oh, 
I’m so glad you’re here.” 

“Yes, because he may be hiding anjrwhere 
on this island!” added Nancy. 

“And he must be a giant!” cried Flossie, 
“to have a foot like that!” 

“ Wot ’s that? Do ye mane ter tell me ye 


10 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


saw his fut, an^ not himself ? How can thot 
be? An who is he 

*‘Oh, John, you’re laughing,” said Doro- 
thy, ‘‘but it isn’t a joke, and we didn’t see 
him, or his feet either, but his footprint on 
the sand was just monstrous. You never 
saw anything like it.” 

“Oh, hoi It’s a futprint, is it? An’ tell 
me, now, how cud a futprint shcare ye ? Ah, 
whisht! Miss Dorothy, I was only tasin’ ye. 
Sure, it’s mesilf will go over there, an’ hov a 
look it the futprint. Which way do Oi 
shtart?” 

“You go down the steps in the ledge, then 
turn to the right, and walk along the beach, 
and you’ll see it, first thing. It’s so big that 
you can’t miss it.” 

“All roight,” said John, “an’ Oi’U arm 
mesilf, in case I hoppen to foind the in- 
thruder, as well as his futprint,” and picking 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 11 


up his spade, he shouldered it, and started 
off toward the beach. 

The three little friends, their arms about 
each other, looked eagerly at John’s comical 
figure, and for a few moments neither spoke. 

Even little Fluff, who had rushed across 
the lawn to greet them, stood looking after 
the gardener, his mouth open, his eyes eager, 
as if he fully understood all that had been 
said. 

dear, John has gone to look for who- 
ever is on this island, who — ^who — why, who 
ought not to be here, but I do hope nothing 
happens to John,” said Dorothy, drawing 
closer to Nancy. 

“Nobody but a giant could have such a 
foot as that, and there aren’t any giants 
now,” said little Flossie. 

“But there was the footprint, such an 
awful footprint, too,” wailed Nancy. 


12 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘If John finds a man big enough to have a 
foot like that, I don’t see what he could do 
with him. He isn’t big enough to send a 
giant oft from this island. 0 dear, why did 
it happen when every one was away?” said 
Dorothy. 

For a few moments they were silent, and 
then — well, such a jolly laugh they heard, 
and — ^why, surely it was John who was 
laughing ! 

“I don’t see how he can laugh,” said Flos- 
sie. “Would you think he could?” Be- 
fore the others could reply, John came 
around from behind the heavy shrubbery, 
and following him, was Uncle Harry. 

“I’m the giant! I’m the giant!” he 
shouted, “and now, little friends, what will 
you do to me?” 

“He sure is the verra mon wot made the 
big f utprint . Oh, ho, ha, ha ! ” agreed J ohn. 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 13 


“Why, Uncle Harry! How could you? 
Your feet aren’t anywhere near that size!” 
declared Flossie. 

“I should hope not!” he cried. “Why 
there’s not a shoe in the country that’s half 
big enough to fill that footprint out there 
on the sand. I modeled that footprint with 
my hands, after hearing Flossie’s excited de- 
scription of that part of Robinson Crusoe 
that tells of his surprise when he found the 
impress on the sand. 

‘ ‘ Then I went in the launch over to Foam 
Ridge, and forgot all about the footprint I’d 
made. Why, how round your eyes were 
when you saw me coming ! I thought J ohn 
was joking when he said you were fright- 
ened.” 

“Oh, but we wereV* said Dorothy, “and 
so was John.” 

“Aw, now. Miss Dorothy, how d’ye moike 


14 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


that out?” said John, with a sheepish grin. 

“You took your big spade with you,” she 
replied. 

“That’s wot I did,” agreed John, “but if 
Oi’d found a woild mon, the soize ter match 
that f utprint, twinty fellers wid twinty clubs 
wouldn’t have been more than wad hov been 
needed ter masther him.” 

They were laughing now, partly at John’s 
droll statement, but largely from sheer re- 
lief. 

No giant was tramping around the lovely 
little island, no intruder was anywhere in 
hiding. 

“There’s one thing I’ve always longed to 
have explained to me,” said Uncle Harry, 
“and that is how the savage landed on one 
foot!” 

“The book doesn’t say that!” declared 
Flossie, her eyes round with surprise. 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 15 


“Perhaps it does not exactly say that,” 
agreed Uncle Harry, “but it tells of but one 
footprint, and how on earth did the fellow 
land on one foot, and keep the other in the 
air until his tribesmen arrived in a boat and 
took him away?” 

They were all laughing now; even tiny 
Fluff looked from one to the other, his 
mouth wide open as if he, too, were laugh- 
ing at the thought of the acrobatic savage. 

“An’ it’s mesilf didn’t tink o’ that, tho’ 
the futprint ye made, sor, was ’way up from 
the sea, where niver a wave could touch it, 
an’ no other wan at all besoide it! Tink o’ 
that, will yez?” 

“Well, the great mystery is explained,” 
said Uncle Harry, “and I’m really sorry 
that I gave you such a genuine scare, for that 
was farthest from my intention. I thought 
you would laugh at my awkward attempt at 


16 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


modeling, and at its enormous size.” 

we’d not been thinking of the story I 
believe we’d have known that no ‘really, 
truly’ foot could have made it, but the story 
seemed so real, that we were excited, and we 
were ready to believe — oh, anything!” 

“And weren’t we scared?” said Flossie, 
clinging to his arm. “Why, Uncle Harry, 
we felt as if the same thing had happened 
to us that happened to Eobinson Crusoe, 
and he was frightened. The book says that 
he was.” 

“And he was a man/* said Nancy, “and if 
he was so scared that his hair stood on end, 
why wouldn’t we be scared? We’re only 
just little girls, and we knew that Dorothy’s 
father was away, and you were over at Foam 
Eidge. That left only John here, and we 
had forgotten him.” 

“I think I’ll go giant-hunting,” declared 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 17 


Uncle Harry, rolling up his sleeves, and 
looking very fierce. 

“Oh, you don't have to,” said Flossie, “for 
now we know who made the footprint on the 
sand, we’re not frightened.” 

“Well, all the same, I’m off for a giant- 
hunting trip. You never can tell when some 
huge fellow may be in hiding, and soon as 
I find a good, stout club. I’ll ‘sally forth, 
to corner him in his lair.’ I believe that is 
the way ‘ J ack the Giant Killer ’ did. I don ’t 
think Jack did anything so ordinary as to 
‘walk.’ I’m sure the story said he ‘sallied 
forth,’ so that is just what I’ll do.” 

“Don’t forget to take a club,” Dorothy 
called after him. 

“I’ve a baseball bat, and if I put a few 
long pointed nails or spikes in the end of it 
I think that will do,” he said, never relax- 
ing the ponderous frown that he had assumed 


18 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


when he first spoke of starting out on the 
search. 

‘‘Wouldn’t you think he meant every word 
he said?” asked Nancy. “I mean if we 
didn’t know how dearly he loves a joke.” 

“Listen!” said Dorothy, laughing. 
“You’d sooner believe it if you didn’t hear 
that.” 

He had slipped into the house, and now 
was singing, his wonderful voice giving new 
beauty to the old song: 

“Out on the summer sea, 

With light hearts glad and free, 

Singing so joyously. 

Happy are we.” 

“Oh, don’t you love to hear him sing?” 
said Dorothy. 

“Indeed I do,” said Nancy, who had been 
intently listening, “and he is always so will- 
ing to sing whenever any one asks him to.” 


A STARTLING HAPPENING 19 

They heard him, afterward, playing the 
melody with brilliant variations, then, while 
they waited to learn if another song were to 
follow, he left the piano and appeared on the 
porch. 

“I forgot to tell you, little friends, that I 
met Miss Geraldine this morning. I am 
sure you remember Geraldine — H’m, 
what is her name? Lugmore? Tagmore? 
No, — Togmore. That’s the name. Gerald- 
ine Togmore, and she told me that she was 
at Foam Eidge for the summer. ‘ Tell Doro- 
thy and Nancy that I’m coming over to see 
them soon,’ she said. ‘Auntie bought me a 
little launch, and I’m learning to run it. 
Just as soon as I’ve learned how to start it 
when it doesn’t want to start, and to stop it 
when it doesn’t want to stop, I’m coming 
over to call.’ ” 

“Oh, I do wish she wouldn’t,” said Doro- 


20 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


thy, adding: ‘‘I don’t suppose that sounds 
very nice, but she’s so hard to please.” 

‘^It may take her a long time to learn to 
run the launch,” Nancy said so hopefully 
that it made Uncle Harry laugh. 


CHAPTER II 


THE SEA KING 

A ll day the waves had glistened, spark- 
ling as if the sunlight made them 
merry, but now, at late afternoon, the sky 
was overcast and over the sea hung a heavy 
fog, so that only the vessels near shore were 
visible. 

^‘I do believe that fog gets thicker every 
minute,^’ Dorothy said, as she stood on the 
porch, and looked out across the water. 

‘^And you had meant to enjoy some fine 
games with Nancy before dinner,” Mrs. 
Dainty said, as she drew Dorothy closer. 

^‘Look off there where a point of land 
makes out into the sea. Those fishermen are 
beaching their boat. Only a short time ago 


21 


22 DOnOTHY AT GEM ISLAND 

they were setting out for a fishing-trip, but 
those men are weather-wise, and they know 
that with a sky like that, the land is safer 
than the sea. It is now nearly five o’clock, 
so if it had been sunny, you would have had 
but an hour for play, but I have thought of 
a way in which you and Nancy can enjoy the 
whole evening, so let it storm if it will. Be- 
fore a blazing fire of driftwood we’ll spend 
the evening with the Sea King!” 

^‘Oh, that sounds lovely. Mother, but is it 
a game ? How do we spend the evening with 
him ? ’ ’ Dorothy asked. 

“That is my secret until after dinner,” 
Mrs. Dainty said, smiling. 

“Oh, then I’ll be glad there’s such a good 
excuse for staying in,” cried Dorothy. 

“Nancy! Nancy! Come here a minute, 
please! We’re to spend the evening with 
the Sea King!” 


THE SEA KING 


23 


The wind was rising, and the rattling 
blinds and flapping awnings made such a 
noise that Nancy did not clearly catch the 
words. 

“Spend the evening seeking V* she asked, 
“or did you say ‘peeking’ 

“Oh, Nancy! I didn’t say ‘Seeking,’ I 
said ‘Sea King,’ ” Dorothy explained, 
laughing as she thought what a rollicking 
game it would be, down there on the little 
island peeking at nothing at all, for all there 
was to be seen was the clump of beautiful 
trees, flat land with ledges, a strip of beach, 
and the rain coming down in torrents. 
Their house faced Foam Ridge and the 
body of water that cut the island off from 
the mainland, while from the back window of 
the house one could look far out to sea. 

During dinner the storm had increased, 
and when they returned to the living-room 


24 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


the warmth and glow from the crackling fire 
was most welcome. The light from the 
dancing fiames cast a warmer glow over the 
crimson hangings that the maid had care- 
fully drawn across the windows to shut out 
the storm. 

‘‘And now we will begin to get acquainted 
with the Sea King/^ Mrs. Dainty said, as she 
seated herself in her low, reed chair before 
the fire. 

Dorothy and Nancy, crouching upon 
cushions at her feet, looked up at her with 
sparkling eyes. 

“What is his name?” Dorothy asked. 

“Neptune was his name, King Neptune, 
and the ancients actually believed that there 
really was such a person. They gave him his 
name, and said that his palace was on the 
ocean’s bed. 

“They described him as a sturdy old fel- 


THE SEA KING 


25 


low with a snowy beard, and waving hair of 
the same hue. 

“In their sculptures, he wears a crown, 
and in his hand, instead of a scepter, he car- 
ries a trident. 

“I remember a picture that I once saw in 
a famous collection of fine paintings, where 
old Neptune was riding in his golden chariot 
along the crest of the waves, attended by a 
band of sea nymphs.’^ 

“It’s a pretty story, but how could people 
believe it?” Dorothy asked. 

“The people who believed in these myths, 
or tales, were pagans, not knowing our 
Heavenly Father, but instead, worshipping 
many gods, among them, Neptune. They 
thought that he ruled the waves, and when 
their boats were tossed about in a storm, they 
believed that something that they had done 
had angered him. If they could think of 


26 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


any act that might have enraged him, they 
fell upon their knees and implored his for- 
giveness, but if they could not decide what 
had so aroused his wrath, they then decided 
that he wished to be more fervently wor- 
shipped, and as soon as the storm was lulled, 
they would go down to the shore with huge 
quantities of fruits and flowers, and these 
they would offer to him with great cere- 
mony. Then the fruit and flowers were 
tossed out upon the waves, and if the storm 
did not return they felt that King Neptune’s 
anger was assuaged, and their offering gra- 
ciously accepted.” 

“Oh, what a lovely story!” cried Doro- 
thy. “Let’s just ^play* we believe it, be- 
cause the sea will look flner, grander, if we 
pretend that ’way, ’way down below the 
waves King Neptune rules in his palace.” 

Mrs. Dainty laughed. 


THE SEA KING 


27 


“There is surely no harm in ‘playing’ that 
King Neptune rules an under-ocean realm if 
it amuses you. Come, we’ll draw the red 
hangings and look out and see if the old 
fellow is still in a temper.” 

She rose and crossed the room to the win- 
dow that looked out across the sea. As she 
drew aside the curtains, the children gave 
little cries of surprise. The rain no longer 
lashed the vundows, and overhead, scudding 
clouds were flying across the sky in great, 
ragged masses. 

“Why, it has stopped raining!” said 
N ancy . “We can play now that the old Sea 
King is not in quite such a temper as he 
was.” 

“Oh, he’s behaving better,” said Doro- 
thy, “but just hear the wind blowing. He’s 
not pleasant yet.” 

“I should think not!” agreed Nancy, “for 


28 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


look at those clouds that are flying across 
the sky.” 

“You can ‘make believe’ that the wind 
that now whistles around the corner is the 
music of his nymphs. They are nearly al- 
ways represented as his attendants when he 
rides the waves in his chariot, and each of 
the nymphs carries a conch-shell upon which 
she is blowing,” Mrs. Dainty said. 

“Nobody could sing the tune they are 
playing,” said Nancy. 

“But it might be just what the Sea King 
would think was lovely music,” Dorothy 
said, and for a time, with Nancy’s arm about 
her, she stood listening to the whistling gale. 

Later, they lay in bed, talking of the Sea 
King and his n3miphs, so it was small wonder 
that in their dreams they saw old Father 
Neptune with his trident. 

“What do you think I dreamt?” Dorothy 


THE SEA KING 


29 


asked, when the two were dressing the next 
morning. 

‘‘I dreamt of lovely sea nymphs, and I, 
too, was a nymph, and we were all floating 
in and out among the foam and spray, blow- 
ing on our coneh-shells and having such a 
fine time.” 

^^Well, I wasn^t having such fun in my 
dreams,” said Nancy, “for I thought the 
Sea King was chasing me along the crest of 
the waves, and shouting to his attendants : 

“ ‘Catch her! Catch her!’ and all the 
time I was swimming away from him as fast 
as I could.” 

After breakfast they ran down to the little 
beach. Along the sandy shore were evi- 
dences of the storm that had swept over the 
little island. Branches that the gale had 
torn from the trees lay everywhere in sight, 
blossoms and foliage from the wild shrub- 


30 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


bery, and shells of all sizes had been flung 
upon the sand by the angry waves. Long 
strings of seaweed lay among the shells, and 
clinging to it were bits of fine sea moss. 

‘‘Oh, Nancy, look at the shells and sea- 
weed! I guess the old Sea King is sorry 
that he showed such an awful temper last 
night, and he’s sent these pretty things up 
on the shore to make us think that he was 
only playing after all,” said Dorothy. 

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” she con- 
tinued, laughing as she spoke. “We’ll go 
over toward the ledge where the wild rose- 
bushes are, and get some of the blossoms 
and buds, and with some of this seaweed, 
we’ll weave a long garland. 

“When it is made, we’ll put on our bath- 
ing-suits, and run down to where the waves 
are washing in. We’ll toss the garland out 
on the water, and we’ll say we take that 


THE SEA KING 


31 


way to show old Neptune that we forgive 
him.’' 

^‘Oh, that will be fun, because we can play 
we are little pagans like those your mother 
told about last night, and you’ll be making 
an offering,” Nancy said. 

“I’ll not fling any fruit with it, because 
he needn’t expect fruit when he was so angry 
and unpleasant,” said Dorothy. 

Fruit said Nancy in disgust. “He 
shook our house till it rattled last night, and 
seemed as if trying to pull our lovely trees 
up by the roots. I wouldn’t want to throw 
him nice oranges or apples. He doesn’t de- 
serve them. I’d sooner throw him an 
onion 

“Oh, Nancy! Such an offering!^* cried 
Dorothy. 

“Well, such a temper! I should say!” said 
Nancy, and the two laughed gaily. 


32 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


However, they made the garland, and Dor- 
othy remembered an old song that her 
mother had taught her. 

Very lovely she looked as sh^ sang the 
pretty melody, the while with arms extended, 
she made her offering to the Sea King. 

“Restless wavelets of the sea, 

For the shells you ’ve given me, 

I will give sweet flowers to you. 

Come and take them, quickly, do. 

“Gliding swiftly o’er the sand. 

You can take them from my hand. 

And I tell you, it is true. 

They’re my loving gift to you.” 

‘‘Look! Look! The waves are coming' 
for our garland,’^ Dorothy cried, “and each 
one has a finer crest than the one before it.’^ 

"“Oh — o! There it goes back again, but 
each one comes a bit nearer,” said Nancy, 
as she crouched upon the sand to watch the 
incoming tide. 



With arms extended, she made her offering to the Sea King. 

Page 32, 







THE SEA KING 


33 


“Well, I wonder if old Neptune doesn^t 
think this offering fine enough T’ said Doro- 
thy. 

“He knows that garland of fiowers and 
seaweed is lovely,” Nancy said, “and I’ll tell 
you one thing, there’s really no such person 
as King Neptune, so I’m not afraid to call 
him what I choose!” 

“Why Nancy Ferris! What could you 
call him?” Dorothy asked. 

Nancy laughed. 

“If he comes for the offering soon. I’ll 
continue to caU him ^King Neptune,’ but if 
he is too slow about it. I’ll just call him ‘Old 
Neppy,’ if he is the king of the ocean, and 
see how he likes that.” 

“I wonder how you’ll manage to ‘see,’ ” 
Dorothy said, but just at that moment a big 
roUer came washing up, ducking the little 
holder of the offering, and taking the long 


34 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


string of flowers and seaweed along on its 
crest as it receded. 

‘‘He took it! He took it!’’ cried Doro- 
thy, dancing up and down. 

“Hurrah for the Sea King!” shouted 
Nancy. “May he keep away from this 
island for weeks to come !” 

“Oh, I’d not care how often he came if 
he was feeling pleasant, and just riding 
along on the waves with his lovely nymphs 
floating beside him, but he needn’t splash up 
against our big ledges, or tear the branches 
off our trees. It’s a pretty fairy tale, and 
I like to hear all such lovely things, of mer- 
maids, and mermen,” Dorothy concluded, 
looking out across the water. 

“I wonder what kept his chariot going?” 
queried Nancy. 

“I never thought of that?” said Dorothy. 


THE SEA KING 


35 


‘ ‘ Let ’s ask mother. She saw the big picture 
of Neptune and his nymphs.^’ 

Up the beach they raced, around the edge, 
across the lawn, and just in time to see a nim- 
ble figure bounding toward them. 

‘‘Why, Vera Vane ! I could hug you this 
minute if I weren’t so wet. IVe just been 
drenched by a big wave,” cried Dorothy. 

“I don’t care if you are wet!” replied 
Vera, and, impulsive as ever, she threw her 
arms about Dorothy. 

“This woolen sailor-suit doesn’t mind salt 
water and neither do I. Oh, but I’m glad to 
be here! And Nancy, darling. I’ll just hug 
you, too. Oo — ^what a long trip it was to get 
here!” Vera said. 

“Such a surprise!” cried Dorothy. 

“I knew you’d both enjoy Vera, and I 
wrote to Mrs. Vane a week before we left the 


36 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


stone house, asking her to be sure to let us 
have her little daughter for a time at Gem 
Island, and here she is, a fine surprise for 
you and Nancy. 

^‘And for me,” said Vera, ‘^for Mother 
never told me until two days ago. On that 
day I said, ‘I’d like some sort of surprise. 
I’d like to do something that I didn’t know 
I was going to do,’ and Mother said, ‘Well, 
that is what you are about to do. On Wed- 
nesday you start for Gem Island to enjoy a 
little visit with Dorothy and Nancy.’ 
Wasn’t I surprised?” 

“Of course you were, and the surprise of 
it is part of the fun,” said Dorothy. 

“Did you come all the way alone?” Nancy 
asked. 

“Oh, no indeed,” said Vera, “but guess 
who brought me ?” 

“How could we ever guess?” said Flossie 


THE SEA KING 


37 


Barnet, who had caught sight of Vera, and 
had come to greet her, “but I wouldn’t have 
to guess, because I just found out.” 

“I’ll tell,” Vera said, laughing. “My 
father took the train-ride with me, and Flos- 
sie’s Uncle Harry was waiting at the pier 
with his launch.” 

“And then you sailed, and sailed, and here 
you are,” said Flossie. 

“An’ here you is/^ said little Elfin, who 
had followed Flossie. 

“And here I ts.'” echoed Vera, laughing as 
she knelt to draw the little girl closer. 

“Do you remember me. Elfin?” she asked, 
looking down into the lovely little face. 

“Yes, oh, yes,” said Elfin. “I do ’mem- 
ber you. You made hats for my dollies, fine 
hats with feaders on ’em. Will you make 
sings for my dollies dis time?” 

‘ ‘ Oh, you little coaxer I Of course I will, ’ ’ 


38 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


cried Vera, and Elfin, freeing herself, ran 
off across the lawn singing a funny little 
tune, the words floating back on the breeze : 

“Of tourse see will, 

Of tourse see will. 

0 my ! I’m glad see turn. ’ ’ 

^‘The very first rainy day I’ll sit down and 
sew for her dolls, just because she is so dear 
and cunning,” said Vera. ‘‘And oh, Doro- 
thy! IsnH this island wonderful? As we 
sailed toward it, it certainly looked like a 
lovely island with a castle on it, such as 
weVe read of in our fairy tales.” 

“And it seems to us like a Fairy island, 
for the houses are joined by that high gal- 
lery, and from the tower we can look out 
over the water, so that no one could land at 
our little pier without being seen by us, and 
we can roam from one end of the island to 
the other.” 


CHAPTER III 

QUICKSANDS 


T TER A was out on the lawn before either 

V Dorothy or Nancy was awake, but 
she was not alone. Little Fluff had heard 
her footsteps on the stairway, and had 
greeted her with little yelps of delight. He 
always found it very hard to keep quiet in 
the early morning, and seemed to think that 
the entire household should be up and about 
as soon as his bright little eyes were open. 

Here was a wide-awake girl coming down 
the stairway. 


‘‘Shi Sh! Be still Vera said, and at 
her uplifted finger, he paused, then emitted 
a soft little “Wow!’’ 


39 


40 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Softly she opened the door, and Fluff 
promptly rushed between her feet in his 
eagerness to get out. 

‘‘You almost tripped me,^^ said Vera, as 
she closed the door, “and if you had made 
me fall, we^d have made a fine noise. 

Fluff looked as if he were sorry, and Vera, 
whispering “Come on!’’ ran from the porch 
out onto the lawn, where she sat down, and 
ordered him to “Sit up like a little man,” 
which he promptly did. 

Erect he posed, his eyes eager to see how 
soon her hand would draw a bonbon from 
her pocket. 

Dorothy had taught him to sit up, by re- 
warding him with candy. 

Vera did not know that, so when Fluff, 
disgusted that she had no treat to offer, be- 
gan to bark loudly, she wondered what it 
was that he wanted. 


QUICKSANDS 


41 


quiet!” she said, shaking her fore- 
finger at him. ‘ ‘ Do you want to wake every 
one in the house 

“Wow!” said Fluff. 

“Well, you just needn^t, you noisy little 
fellow,” she replied. 

It was not long before Dorothy and Nancy 
ran down to join her on the lawn, and after 
breakfast they showed Vera the long gallery 
that connected the two houses, which on 
rainy days made it possible for the neighbors 
to visit without going out-of-doors. 

They took her up into the tower, and let 
her look far out to sea. Shielding her eyes 
with her hand, she looked off to where on the 
horizon white-sailed vessels moved slowly 
along. Her eyes brightened. 

“The white sails are lovely,” she said, 
“but this island is lovely, too. And tell 
me,” she said, after a second. “Wouldn’t 


t 


42 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


you think it fun to start out and just tramp 
and tramp, we three, until we come to the 
other end of this island. The tip end, I 
mean? We could play we^re discoverers, 
for we’d be sure to discover something on a 
long walk like that.” 

‘‘We’ll do it,” said Dorothy, “and 
whether we really discover anything or not, 
we’ll surely have a fine walk.” 

“And I wouldn’t wonder if we found the 
yellow blossoms that Flossie told us grew 
in the wiry grass somewhere on this island,” 
Nancy said. 

They were soon on their way, little Fluff 
stopping whenever they stopped, and look- 
ing at whatever, for the moment, had caught 
their attention, then racing ahead with ex- 
cited barking, when they were once more on 
their way. 

“I’ll tell you a fine bit of news, Vera,” 


QUICKSANDS 


43 


Dorothy said. ‘ ‘ Betty Chase is here, I mean 
over at Foam Kidge, and you always liked 
Betty. 

did like Betty,’’ Vera said, “and I 
thought she was one of the dearest girls at 
Glenmore.” 

“Well, Betty is just as dear now as when 
we were all schoolmates at Glenmore,” said 
Nancy, “and I hope, if she’s coming over to- 
day, she’ll wait till we get back. I want to 
see her just as soon as I can.” 

“She said whenever she came over she’d 
surely be there by half -past eight, and it was 
after nine when I ran in to get this basket 
full of lunch,” said Dorothy. 

“Lunch!” cried Vera, stopping short in 
the middle of the road. “Lunch, did you 
say? Why, Dorothy Dainty! Do you 
think we’ll be tramping all day?” 

Nancy laughed at the comic look of amaze- 


44 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


ment on Vera’s face, but Dorothy answered, 
quietly ; 

“It’s a long walk to the end of this island, 
and that’s where you said you’d like to go.” 

“This island is long and narrow, Vera,” 
said Nancy. “It isn’t much of a walk from 
one shore to the other if you cross it from 
the beach at the back of our house to the cliff 
in front that looks toward Foam Ridge.” 

“Now, girls!” said Vera, “I know it’s 
narrow across that way, and I know another 
thing about this island, and that is that up in 
the tower where we stood looking out, it 
didn’t look so very far to the tip end of Gem 
Island, and I don’t believe it is. Why, we 
ought to be there in almost no time!” 

^ ‘ It may take us a bit longer than no time, ’ ’ 
Nancy said, laughing because Vera was so 
positive, “but we’ll not get there at all if we 
don’t start, so come on!” 


QUICKSANDS 45 

‘ ‘ Hurrah ! ' ’ cried V era. ‘ ‘ We ’ll walk and 
walk until we have to stop because we don’t 
intend to tramp right into the sea! We 
mean to see the very tip, tip end of Gem 
Island!” 

A cool breeze was blowing, and they 
tripped along, singing little snatches of song. 

No one paid much attention to what the 
others were singing until after a pause when 
all were silent Vera sang a most surprising 
verse, that seemed to be rather a close de- 
scription of herself : 


“Just a restless elf am I, 

Tra, la, /a/ Tra, la, lo/ 

You can’t catch me if you try! 
Tra, la, la, la, lol 
Some have tried to capture me, 
How I vanish they can ’t see, 

They search earth and air for me, 
Hunting high and low.” 


‘^Oh, Vera ! that song is like you, and you 


46 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


are laughing. I do believe you know those 
words describe you.’’ 

Vera’s eyes were twinkling. The breeze 
was tossing her curling flaxen hair, and she 
laughed as she bounded along. 

“You can’t catch me if you try,” she sang, 
and suiting the action to the words, she raced 
ahead, the other two running with all their 
might, hoping to overtake her. 

Seeing that they were gaining in speed, 
and that they soon would reach her, Vera 
dodged, and running to the edge that bor- 
dered the sea at that point, she looked back 
at them, laughing, dancing up and down, 
perilously near the edge of the ledge. 

“Want to see me jump off, and go splash 
down into the water?” she cried. “Want 
to? Want to?” 

“No, no!” they shouted. “Come here, 
Vera, come back before you fall off!” 


QUICKSANDS 


47 


* ‘ Pooh ! Tisn ’t much of a jump, ’ ’ she an- 
swered, ^‘but of course I won’t if you don’t 
care to see me do it. What is the use of 
getting drenched for no reason at all?” 

‘‘Oh, I was so frightened,” Dorothy said, 
when Vera was once more walking along be- 
side them. 

Vera threw loving arms around Dorothy, 
and held her close. 

“You darling goosiel” she cried. “Did 
either you or Nancy really think I’d jump 
off from that cliff, and ’way, ’way down 
where those waves are going splash, bang 
against those rocks?” 

Dorothy did not speak, for a moment, but 
she looked at Vera with eyes that plainly 
showed how frightened she had been. 

It was Nancy who spoke. 

“I didn’t truly think you’d dare to jump,” 
she said, ‘ ‘ but I was sure you ’d fall off, Y ou 


48 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


were too near the edge of the rocks to be 
hopping first on one foot, and then the 
other.” 

‘‘I’d not be afraid to do it again,” Vera 
said, “but just look there! Yellow fiowers, 
lovely little yellow fiowers, masses of them ! ’ ’ 

“Those must be the very ones that Flossie 
told us about,” said Dorothy. 

The lovely blossoms grew on slender 
stems with buds and a number of fiowers on 
each stem. 

It was quite a task to gather them because 
they grew amidst the coarse, wiry grass, and 
they endeavored to pick the fiower stalks 
with not a blade of the grass to mar their 
beauty. 

So busy were they that for a time they 
forgot to talk. 

Little Fluff was chasing the butterfiies 
that hovered over the fiowers, and barking 


QUICKSANDS 49 

because they wouldn’t wait for him to catch 
them. 

It was Vera who first spoke. She had 
risen from the spot where she had been 
crouching, and was walking slowly over the ♦ 
grass to where a large mass of the blossoms 
were blowing in the breeze. 

was just wondering if this island could 
possibly be the very same island that Father 
sailed out to inspect one time. The island 
that he told us about was just a little trip 
from the shore, like this one, and there were 
lovely fiowers on it. 

‘‘Oh, but there was a funny thing about 
that little island ! Eight in the middle of it 
there was a place that looked fine, but it was 
really, truly quicksands ! 

“Did you hear what I said?” she asked, 
for the first time pausing to look up. 

“Quicksands! Quicksands! And right 


50 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 

in the middle of that island!” she declared, 
springing to her feet, her eyes sparkling with 
excitement. It happened that neither 
Dorothy nor Nancy had even heard the 
word, “quicksand,” so while Dorothy looked 
toward Vera, and wondered why she seemed 
excited, Nancy only laughed. 

“I never heard of quicksand,” she said, 
“I wonder if there’s any such thing as 
slow sand?” 

“Well, I know one thing, Nancy Ferris, as 
sure as sure can be, and that is, if this is the 
island where my father saw quicksands — ” 

Vera paused to learn if they were in- 
terested. 

“If it is the same island,” she repeated. 
“Then whoever happens to be on the spot 
where the quicksand place is, is going to go 
plunk when the quicksands go plunk. Isn’t 
that easy to see?” 


QVICK SANDS 51 

Her listeners were more than interested 
now ; they were startled. 

‘‘Well, you needn’t be scared, because this 
may not be the island, but my father said 
that—” 

Nancy sprang to her feet. 

“You’re frightening us more by just tell- 
ing part of what you father said,” she cried. 
“Now tell us just what he did say.” 

“Well, he said on that island that he 
visited the quicksand was sort of like a bog, 
and the sailor that rowed him over to it told 
him all about it. 

“The sailor said that one time a fisherman 
was driving a horse and tip-cart across that 
island, and he started to cross the place 
where the quicksand was, only he didn’t 
know it was quicksand, and he, and horse 
and cart went right down, down, when the 
bog, no I mean quicksand, began to let them 


52 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


down plunk, and they had to get ropes, and 
haul and haul with all their might to keep 
them from being drawn down in the sand so 
they ’d be out of sight ! ” 

“Oh, Vera, that’s frightful!” said 
Dorothy, whose eyes had opened wider and 
wider as the tale progressed. 

“And the funny thing about it is that if it 
is this island, we might this very minute, be 
standing on sand that is solid, and just a bit 
farther, front, or side, or back of us might be 
the quicksand that lets you go just the way 
the man and cart did. ’ ’ 

“I wish you hadn’t told us,” said 
Dorothy. ‘ ‘ Truly I ’m afraid to step. ’ ’ 
“Why, I think it’s twice as much fun to 
think that maybe this island is safe, and that 
maybe it isn’t. I like to take a few steps, 
and see if I begin to slump! I almost 
thought I did just a minute ago. 


QUICKSANDS 


53 


^‘You see it’s that you can’t be sure that 
makes the fun. If this is the island my 
father went to one time, then the house might 
go out of sight some day before any one from 
Foam Eidge could get here to save it, and 
maybe before any one had even noticed it, 
and then folks on the beach would wonder 
where the house had gone.” 

‘ ^ Oh, V era, I truly do wish — ’ ’ 

“Oh, pooh I” cried Vera. “Didn’t I say 
‘maybe this isn ’t the same island ’ ? ” 

A sharp bark from Fluff made them turn. 

Far across the patch of coarse grass and 
yellow flowers they saw him. He was bark- 
ing and whining as if he were hurt, and he 
made no effort to come when they called. 
Always quick to come bounding toward 
Dorothy at her first call, he now refused to 
do so. 

With a wild cry of “The quicksands!” 


54 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Dorothy, snatching off her hat, raced at top 
speed to save him, never a thought of fear 
for her own safety entering her curly head. 

In chasing butterflies he had raced in 
every direction, and now, held fast by a 
bramble, was unable to free himself. The 
briers had a firm hold on his fluffy coat, for 
which he had been named, and Dorothy 
found it a task to liberate her pet. 

When he was freed from the briers, 
Dorothy took him in her arms, and started 
to return the way that she had come, then 
she stopped, looked back to Nancy, who was 
watching her, and both laughed. Laughed 
with sheer relief, for if Dorothy could race 
across that spot to rescue Fluff when she 
supposed that he was about to actually sink 
out of sight, it was quite likely that she could 
return safely, and gaily she ran toward 
them. 


QUICKSANDS 


55 


“Where’s the quicksand?” she said, 
laughing at the droll expression on Vera’s 
face. 

“Well, didn’t I say it might be, and it 
might notf*' Vera said. 

“And to think,” said Nancy, “if Dorothy 
hadn’t been so eager to save Fluff from the 
quicksands that she forgot all about herself, 
we’d have been standing here, no one knows 
how long, neither of us daring to stir a foot. ” 

“But don’t you like to be scared?” Vera 
asked. “I do,” she continued. “Part be- 
cause I just do like to, and part because 
after you’ve had a big scare it seems so good 
to know you’re safe, but I’ll tell you one 
thing. I mean to try to think, when I go to 
bed, that maybe the house will go plunk in 
the night, not sure, you know, but just may 
be!” 


“Oh, Vera!” cried Dorothy. 


56 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


a ’Twould be just fine!^^ cried Vera, “and 
then I could play be surprised to-morrow 
morning when I found the house hadn^t 
budged an inch I 

“Vera,” said Nancy, “did you ever won- 
der how that man you told about got his tip- 
cart over onto that little island*?” 

“Or where the men with ropes came from, 
just in time to save him?” Dorothy asked. 

“What funny questions!” cried Vera. 

“Why, when you hear stories like that, 
you mustn^t ask how this happened or how 
that could be because you just spoil a good 
story, and anyway, my father said he didn’t 
believe it. He said it was just a sailor’s 
yarn, but I told it to you, because I do think 
it’s great fun to be just a bit scared. It’s so 
exciting not to know if you are standing on 
land that is safe or on sand that is just about 
nothing at all. Oo— but we did wonder I ’ ’ 


CHAPTER IV 


A RAINY DAY 

W ELL, whoever dreamed it would 
be a rainy day, and if it must 
rain, who’d have guessed it would just 
simply pour?” said Vera, as she stood look- 
ing out from the window in the tower room. 

“Never mind,” Dorothy said “We can 
have fun indoors.” 

“And we will,” agreed Nancy. 

“We’ll make it such a jolly day that you’U 
forget it storms.” 

“Oh, you two are so dear, I could have a 
good time with you wherever we were,” Vera 
said quickly, “but it is so lovely here that I 
want to be out-of-doors every minute.” 
“Mother says if she had gone over to Foam 


57 


58 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Ridge yesterday as she intended, we would 
have had some bonbons. Now we must wait 
for them until this storm is over.*' 

“Dorothy and I, on a stormy day, choose a 
book that we both like, and we sit in the ham- 
mock with a big box of candy between us, 
and read and read until the rain is over,” 
said Nancy. 

“While we read we forget it is raining,” 
Dorothy added. 

“S’pose it rains all day, would you read 
all day?” Vera asked. 

“We couldn%” Dorothy said, with a 
laugh, “because Fluff comes and barks at us, 
and coaxes us to play with him.” 

“Wish I could bark,” Vera said, with a 
sober face. 

“Why, Vera Vane!” cried Dorothy. 

“What an idea!” 

“Oh, I’d only wish that if you and Nancy 


A RAINY DAY 


59 


started to read all day,” Vera replied. 

‘‘We wouldn’t think of doing that when 
you are here, Vera,” Dorothy said. 

“How could you think we would?” 

“Oh, I know that,” said Vera,” I was only 
thinking I ’d rather we three would be racing 
’round, I mean I’d enjoy that better than 
reading.” 

Vera, standing near the window, wished 
that some one was in sight on the island. 

Dorothy and Nancy were trying to think 
of some way of amusing Vera that would be 
so lively that she would enjoy it. 

A moment later she made them laugh. 

‘ ‘ Do come and look out ! Here ’s some one 
coming who isn’t afraid of getting wet. 
My! But he’s truly the handsomest boy I 
ever saw!” 

“That’s Antony Marx,” said Dorothy, 
“and he certainly is good-looking.” 


60 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Why, how did he come to this island?” 
was the next question. 

^‘In his own boat,” Nancy said, Dorothy 
adding, ‘‘It’s a fine one, named The Shell, 
and this is the first time he has come over 
here this season. When we were at Foam 
Eidge, he often took us out in his boat. 
Father says he’s a fine oarsman and an hon- 
est, manly fellow.” 

Antony had made the trip to learn if it 
were true that Dorothy and Nancy were at 
Gem Island, and he had chosen a rainy day 
because he knew that if they were there, they 
would surely be up at the house. They ran 
to the door to greet him, Vera close behind 
them. 

Antony felt rather shy when he was intro- 
duced to Vera. 

He wondered if her bright eyes were 
mocking, or only merry. While Dorothy 


A RAINY DAY 


61 


and Nancy were chatting with Antony, Vera 
was thinking very fast. 

Here was surely a chance for a lark! 
Antony would not come in, declaring himself 
to be too wet and dripping, but he promised 
to choose a fair day and come over to take 
them out in The Shell, 

“I’ll row you around your own island, and 
let you see how fine it looks from all sides,’’ 
he said as he went down the path. 

“Why, where is Vera ?” Dorothy said, for 
as they turned from the door they were sur- 
prised that she was not in sight. 

“I thought she was there at the door with 
us,” Nancy said. 

“She’s run oft up to her room,” said a 
maid who was passing through the hall, “I 
see her go while you was talking to the lad. 
Like enough she thought of something she 
wanted, and ran up-stairs to get it.” 


62 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


After waiting for Vera to appear, they 
called to her, but received no reply, nor was 
there a sound as of some one moving about. 

“She’s hiding just for fun, and wants us 
to find her,” Dorothy said. 

“And if we wait a moment longer she’ll 
come running out. Don’t you know Vera 
never can remain hidden when we play hide- 
and-seek?” 

“I know it,” Nancy said, laughing as she 
thought how often Vera had been caught, 
just because she could not keep out of sight. 

And still there was no sound as if Vera 
were moving about up in her room. 

“I’ll run up and see why she stays so 
long,” Nancy said. 

But Vera was not in her room. 

When appealed to, Mrs. Dainty smiled, 
and put a loving arm about each eager little 
girl, saying: 


A RAINY DAY 


63 


‘‘Vera loves dearly to hide in a place 
where she thinks you cannot find her. Soon 
we shall hear her calling to us to find her, or 
yet more likely, she will rush out at us when 
we pass her hiding-place. Come! We’ll 
walk through the house and see how soon we 
find her.” 

There came no sound from Vera, and 
when the maid. Sue, had searched her room, 
she returned with the surprising news that 
Vera’s hat and coat were not in her closet. 

‘ ‘ She must have gone out. The wild little 
thing, to venture out in a pelting rain like 
this, ma’am,” said Sue, “and might I be 
sending John to get her in before she’s 
soaked to the skin?” 

“That is a good idea. Sue, but I’ll speak to 
John myself,” Mrs. Dainty said, well know- 
ing that John would take the order to go out 
on the search in the storm, with better feel- 


6 ^ DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


ing, if kindly asked to do so by bis mistress 
than if told to do so by Sue. 

“Sure, Oi’ll go, an’ willin’, ma’am, if it’s 
yersilf or Miss Dorothy is anxious, but if it 
was mesilf as was missin’ Miss Vera, Oi’d 
let her git soaked, aye an’ soaked trough, at 
that, an’ mebbe it ud hov the effect o’ tamin’ 
her a bit.” 

Mrs. Dainty knew that John’s view of 
Vera’s careless act might be just, but she felt 
that while Vera was her guest, she must have 
a care over her, lest the little girl suffer from 
the effect of her own careless acts. 

She wished that Vera would be consider- 
ate, and refrain from doing things that made 
anxious moments for her friends. 

And while John plodded along the soggy 
road, across fields, and sodden meadows, 
grumbling all the way over the “crazy woild- 
ness of somefolks^s children,” while the 


A RAINY DAY 


65 


household was upset, and Dorothy pale and 
anxious, where was Vera? 

Never dreaming that she caused anxiety, 
Vera tramped along the beach at Foam 
Eidge, her small twinkling eyes full of fun. 

Having raced up-stairs to her room, as 
Sue had said, she had snatched her wraps, 
and, letting herself out of the side door, had 
followed Antony down to where his boat was 
waiting for him. 

He had promptly agreed to row Vera over 
to Foam Ridge, but when he had said, 
^‘You’ll wet your feet getting to the boat, and 
they’ll stay wet because there’s water in the 
boat, and I’ve nothing to bail it out with,” 
she quickly answered: 

‘ ^ Oh, I don ’t mind that ! I ’d not care, be- 
cause there’s an errand that I have to do.” 

^‘All right, come along,” Antony had said, 
and he had rather enjoyed her company. 


66 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“How will you go back?” be asked, with a 
teasing laugh. 

“Why, you’ll take me back,” Vera had re- 
plied with a saucy smile. “You’ll like to, 
you know you will,” and Antony had readily 
agreed. “I’m to do an errand,” Vera said, 
^ ‘ and it truly won ’t take me long. ’ ’ She left 
Antony, and trudged along the beach. 

The wind fairly blew Vera along. She 
was obliged to hold her hat, and she laughed 
when she thought of the fine surprise that she 
had in store for Dorothy and Nancy. 

“Candy and oh-oo! The other thing! 
They’d never guess,” she said aloud, not car- 
ing at all that the wind blew harder, or that 
the rain was coming down heavier than be- 
fore. She was singing now, a verse of her 
favorite song : 

“Let it rain or let it shine, 

Tra, la, la! Tra, la, lol 





■ > 


jW ^ '* ■I''*?^..-*? 

^.'■^V' - i<' 

••>•■ .' ‘ .'• -v » * . • 


X>v. •■ / 


^w*- ■ ✓ j*- • -• 


/Imy^Bvflotfc 


The wind fairly blew Vera along. — Page 66. 






-r ^ 




- -? 


’%% 



>^/.-a<v 




« : • '•^^ :, V*; > ^' '1 ♦' - ■ ,, 

■»-• ^ *'!..•? ^ ^ iJrfUrW* • ■ '''■ 



i$.’^ tei>: >•', . 

^jl-t'P*' _* ' 


.:UJ8*ife*t:.>r*'t-.^v' 


#■ iW* 

* J 


T?'^ 

• .>*-\ “*• 
S ■•A > ,A, 

'‘^*»' 4k * ^ ^ 

' 

■ 



' V 

V > ' 


-'*'* '’. V '<‘r. / 


Vj ajt ^ 


2 • 't f ,;- . ’ 


#, • -r_-» #» « 


•".■i;i.. , - ; '3 : i 

. ‘ j- '■*^' ^** ‘'■‘ V ■ 

■ , ^ . -. . , , . . ^ .j jV 

- '■ H' ^ . ^-. '.1 

i -7*" ■ 4. , . * VlH^ A , 



A RAINY DAY 


67 


Merry is this heart of mine, 

Tra, la, la, la, lof 

Tripping gayly here and there. 

Dancing, flitting, earth or air. 

Pranks or frolic, not a care. 

On my way I go. ” 

For the moment, Vera had forgotten 
everything but her own delight in being out 
in the gale instead of indoors. She had even 
forgotten why she had rushed out into the 
storm, and to the boy who sat waiting for her 
to return she gave never a thought. 

It did not occur to her that she should has- 
ten, and with a firm grasp on her hat-brim, 
she sauntered along. It was when she re- 
membered her errands that she began to has- 
ten. Indeed, she ran then. 

“Don^t seem like Mrs. Dainty to send her 
out on a day like this to do an errand,” An- 
tony muttered, ‘‘and I told Father I’d come 
right back. Gee! I hope she comes along 


68 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


soon. Father ^11 be mad, and I can ’t explain. 
I’ll not tell him ’twas a girl that kept me. 
He’d sure laugh at me, and I can’t stand 
that. Whew! I wish she ’dhurry.” After 
what seemed like endless waiting, he spied 
Vera coming toward him, but making slow 
progress, for now, returning, she was walk- 
ing against the wind. 

She had a square package, and a long, 
rather bulky bundle. 

‘‘That’s candy,” she said, gleefully, as she 
pointed to the square parcel, “and this one 
is, oh, it is likely to blow up any minute!” 

“Then give it to me and I’ll put it down 
into the puddle in the bottom of the boat. 
If it’s soaked it canH blow up,” said Antony. 

“No, no!” cried Vera, “I don’t want it 
soaked,” and she hugged it closer, as if she 
feared that the laughing boy would take it 


A RAINY DAY 


from her, and place it, as he had said, in the 
bottom of the boat. 

Vera laughed, and began singing the elfin 
song that so delighted her, and Antony forgot 
how angry he had been while waiting for her 
to return. 

It was much harder to row out to Gem 
Island than it had been to row away from it, 
for now the tide had turned and Antony was 
doing his best to row against it. 

It was a rough trip, and the little boat was 
tossed about on the waves. They were 
drenched with spray, but even when great 
waves broke over the boat, threatening to 
engulf them, Vera did not pause in her sing- 
ing. 

“Vera, are you actually fearless?’’ cried 
the boy, wondering if his passenger did not 
realize their danger of being capsized. 


70 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


She only tossed her head, and continued to 
sing, smiling as she sang : 

“Prank or frolic, not a care, 

On my way I go. ” 

It was not until she stood on the sand be- 
side him, when they had at last reached the 
island, that Antony understood her, and he 
actually gasped with amazement. 

The flighty-appearing girl had been 
braver than he had dreamed. 

‘‘You asked me if I was fearless,’’ she 
said. “Antony, I was scared all the way, 
and I wondered if we’d ever reach this is- 
land, but I kept on singing. I wanted to 
help you, but there were no other oars, and 
if there had been, I couldn’t have used them, 
so instead of whimpering, I sang to help keep 
your courage up, and helping you, I half for- 
got my own fear.” 

“Say, you’re a trump!” cried Antony. 


A RAINY DAY 


71 


‘‘Well, I did my best, for you were fine to 
take me over to Foam Ridge and back, and 
I’m sorry I kept you waiting so long, but I 
forgot all about you, and all about the er- 
rands while I was tramping up the heach and 
singing. I remembered both after a while, 
so it’s all right now,” said Vera. 

“You’re a funny girl!” said Antony. 

“You said I was a trmnp!” Vera replied. 

“But to forget a friend one minute, and 
then do anything to help him the next! 
You sure were brave.” 

“Brave out on the water,” Vera said, 
“and awfully afraid of — grasshoppers on 
the land.” 

Antony laughed. 

“I’ll defend you from the fearful grass- 
hoppers when we’re on land,” he said. 
“Father won’t let me carry a pistol, but per- 
haps a big club would do.” 


72 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Vera urged him to go up to the house and 
rest before returning to Foam Ridge but An- 
tony knew that his father was already im- 
patient of the delay, so he went back to his 
boat, and, grasping the oars, started on the 
homeward trip. Vera stood for a moment 
watching him, then turned toward the house. 

The door flew open, and Dorothy rushed 
out onto the porch, followed by Nancy, who- 
called to Mrs. Dainty that Vera had re- 
turned. 

“Oh, Vera, Vera! Where have you 
been?^’ cried Dorothy. 

Vera^s eyes were dancing, and she looked 
more elflsh than ever before, as she stood, 
with dripping garments, offering a large 
square package for Dorothy. 

“For you,’^ she said. “The wrapping is 
wet, but I^m sure what is inside is all right. 
I kept it under my cloak when the wind 


A RAINY DAY 


73 


would let me. It blew a gale, and kept 
twitching my cloak right out of my hands, 
but open it, and see what I brought you.” 

“But you haven ^t told us where you’ve 
been, and you’ve given us such a fright,” 
said Nancy. 

“Candy, bonbons, and chocolates!” cried 
Dorothy. 

“Vera, dear, did you send Antony over to 
Foam Ridge for them?” 

“No, indeed. I went over with him, so I 
could choose them myself. Dorothy said she 
wished she had some bonbons, and I thought 
I’d give her a nice little surprise, and I’ve 
another surprise, too.” 

Vera’s eyes were sparkling now. 

“Fireworks!” she exclaimed, as she 
opened the large bundle. “Roman candles! 
We’ll set them off to-night — if it clears off, 
and I’m ’bout sure it will.” 


74 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


It was impossible to speak severely to her, 
for her risky trip in the storm had been 
wholly unselfish. She loved Dorothy, and 
made the trip to give her pleasure. 

“Vera, dear, you must get into dry cloth- 
ing at once,’^ Mrs. Dainty said, and later, 
when she came down, looking none the worse 
for her drenching, she listened patiently to 
gentle words of advice. “I know that 
nearly all of your careless acts are done in 
efforts to make pleasure for your friends. 
You are loving, and very lovable, Vera, but 
sometimes you cause your friends needless 
anxiety. We have been badly frightened 
this morning,’^ Mrs. Dainty said. 

“I’m sorry, truly I am,” Vera replied, 
“but I thought I’d be back again with my 
fine surprise before any one would miss me. 
I would have returned in half the time if I 


A RAINY DAY 


75 


hadn’t forgotten all about what I went to 
Foam Ridge for.” 

^‘You forgot your errand?” Mrs. Dainty 
said in surprise. ‘‘I hardly see how you 
could forget what you so eagerly started out 
to do.” 

^‘Oh, I forget so easily,” Vera said, “and 
when Antony ran his boat up on the beach, 
I jumped out into the bit of water that 
hadn’t yet run out with the tide, and ran up 
onto the beach. The wind was behind me, 
and just pushed me along, and it was such 
fun that I began to sing. I’d told Antony 
that it wouldn’t take me long to do my er- 
rands, but walking and singing out there in 
the storm was great sport and I’d walked 
’way beyond the stores before I remembered 
what I meant to do. Walking back, the 
wind was in my face, and held me back as 


76 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


strongly as it before had pushed me for- 
ward.” 

‘‘Vera, weren’t you frightened out on the 
water in a storm?” Mrs. Dainty asked. 

“Yes, indeed I was, but I kept singing to 
cheer Antony, and to make myself think that 
I wasn’t really afraid.” 

“Vera, you’re a puzzling little creature,” 
Mrs. Dainty said, drawing her close, “but 
you must promise to tell me what you are 
about to do after this.” 

Vera promptly promised, and ran to join 
Dorothy and Nancy in the big living-room. 

At the rear of the house the servants were 
talking of Vera’s latest prank. 

“She’s a warm-hearted little girl,” Sue 
was saying. “She went out in the storm 
just to get some candy for Miss Dorothy.” 

“Sure she did thot same,” remarked John, 
“an’ by that koind deed, gave me a foine 


A RAINY DAY 


77 


thramp the length o’ this island, wid no fun 
in it, ter shpake of.” 

‘‘She got a parcel of Roman candles,” said 
Sue, “an’ she — ” 

“Whisht!” said John. “Don’t shpake 
about Roaming candles, for wotever they be 
I hope they don’t do any more roaming nor 
she does, an’ if they do, Oi’ll not go a shtep 
afther thim.” 


CHAPTER V 

AN ISLAND PARTY 

B etty chase had been away on a 
visit, and now that she was once more 
at Foam Ridge, she meant to lose no time in 
going to Gem Island. 

The morning after her return, she ran 
along the plank walk, and down the beach, 
just ready for a dip. 

She had not realized that any one was fol- 
lowing her, until as she sprang over an in- 
rolling wave, her outstretched hand was 
firmly grasped by some one who was behind 
her. Betty turned quickly, and was greeted 
by a loud laugh. 

Guess you don’t remember me,” said the 


78 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


79 


girl who now stood close beside her in the 
breakers. 

The surf was not running high, and the 
waves broke softly on the beach, then re- 
ceded. 

“I remember you,” Betty said quietly. 
She could not say that she was glad to see 
her. “And I know that Mrs. Carrolton is 
your aunt.” 

“That’s right,” said the girl, “she is my 
aunt, and I am Geraldine Togmore. Going 
to be here all the season? I hope you are, 
Betty Chase, for I mean to be over on your 
porch most of the time.” 

Betty stifled a sigh, and answered the ques- 
tion. 

“Yes, we are to be here all summer,” but 
she did not say that she would be glad to 
have Geraldine for a steady guest on her 
porch. 


80 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Betty was always kind, and she tried al- 
ways to be courteous, but she would not be 
untruthful, so as she could not honestly say 
that she would enjoy Geraldine’s company, 
at any and all times, she let it pass as if she 
had not heard it. 

“Susannah Searles is to be here a part of 
the summer, and some one said that Dorothy 
Dainty would be here soon, or that is what I 
thought was said, but I’ve not seen her yet. 
Have you?” 

“I’ve been away on a little visit,” Betty 
replied, “but I’ll make a trip over to see 
her.” 

*^Over where to see her? Isn’t she at 
Foam Ridge?” Geraldine asked, her eyes 
round with surprise. 

“Oh, I thought you must have heard. 
They are in the big house on Gem Island, and 
I think it must be great sport to be living 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


81 


there, in the great house upon the cliffs,” 
Betty said. 

‘ ‘ Why ? ’ ’ Geraldine asked. 

repeated Betty. ^‘Because it 
looks like a castle, and they can look out 
across the water and see whoever ap- 
proaches, and I think it is a wonderful place. 
You could play it was fortified.” 

said Geraldine, “Guess I’ll go 
over some day and see it myself. I’ll get a 
girl I know to take me over in her father’s 
naphtha launch.” 

They had been capering about in the shal- 
low water, but now Betty stood still. 

“Bo you mean Susannah Searles?” she 
asked. 

“Yes, she’s di great friend of mine,” Geral- 
dine replied with a comical toss of her head. 

“Well, if she was my own sister, I 
wouldn ’t get into that little launch with her, 


82 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


if I wanted to be sure of ever getting back 
onto land again, ’ ^ said Betty. 

“Wbat an idea!’’ cried Geraldine, ’‘when 
any one could run that little launch ! ’Tisn ’t 
any great thing to run a launch, and I just 
simply know that if it puzzled Susannah, I 
could do it myself.” 

Betty paid no attention to the silly boast. 
After a moment, Geraldine spoke again. 

“I heard all about that time last summer, 
when Susannah took you and Dorothy 
Dainty and Nancy Ferris out on a trip, and 
how Dorothy almost fainted with terror, and 
you and Nancy were ’bout as scared. When 
Susannah saw how scared you all were, she 
actually had to turn the boat around, and 
start for the shore.” 

‘‘Is that the way that Susannah told it to 
you?” Betty asked quietly. 

‘‘Why, yes!” replied Geraldine, “and how 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


83 


much more would you want her to tell?” 

wouldn’t care to have her tell any 
more,” said Betty, ‘‘but I’d surely want her 
to tell it a bit nearer like the way it really 
was.” 

A low pony-phaeton was being slowly 
driven along the beach, its colored driver 
closely watching the bathers, as if he were 
looking for one whom he would recognize. 

‘ ‘ That ’s her, the young nuisance ! ” he mut- 
tered, then drove a bit nearer. “Miss 
Geraldine ! Miss Geraldine ! ’ ’ 

Geraldine turned and stared. One might 
have thought that it was the first time that 
she had ever seen him. 

“Your aunt is looking everywhere for 
you,” said the man. 

“Well, let her look!” Geraldine said. 

“An’ she sent me out to find you,” he con- 
tinued. 


84 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘Well, you’ve found me,” said Geraldine, 
“so you might as well go back.” 

“You’d best let me drive you home, for 
Missus is gettin’ impatient.” 

Betty drew a long breath of relief as she 
stood looking after the phaeton. “It isn’t 
nice to be glad she’s gone,” she said softly, 
“but she is so— well — ^unpleasant.” 

Just at that moment, she saw a resolute 
figure tramping along the beach, a basket on 
his arm, and his cap pushed back from his 
forehead. It was Antony, and something in 
his merry whistle made Betty look fixedly at 
him. It was evident that he was very happy 
over something, and she believed that she 
knew what it was. 

‘ ‘ Antony ! ’ ’ she called. 

He turned, and walked toward her. 

“You were going right on up the beach 
without stopping to speak to me,” Betty 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


85 


said. ‘‘Were you in such a hurry that you 
couldn’t do that?” 

“No,” Antony said, looking down at the 
sand, as if he did not like to meet her eyes. 

“I thought when I heard you whistling 
that you were feeling gay over the same thing 
that pleased me this morning. The postman 
brought me an invitation to the party at Gem 
Island, and he must have brought yours to 
you, for Dorothy sent me a little note, too, 
and she told me of a number of boys and girls 
that were invited, and you were one of those 
that she named.” 

“Oh, yes, I have my invitation,” he said, 
“and Dorothy was kind indeed to send it to 
me, but it may be that I ’d best not go. ” 

“Why, Antony Marx! What an idea! 
It is to be a wonderful party, and you’ll have 
a fine time if you go, and Dorothy would 
think it odd if you didn’t value her in vita- 


86 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


tion enough to just make that little trip over 
to the Island/^ 

‘‘Oh, I do,’^ Antony said, “and she was 
good to ask me to be there. I know that she 
and Nancy would be glad to see me, but the 
others — ’’ He paused. 

“What others?” Betty demanded. 
“Aren’t we all friendly, Antony?” 

“You are, Betty Chase I You’re a trump, 
and even Susannah Searles isn’t bad, but 
that other girl, Geraldine, and her friend, 
Archie St. Clair, the sissy — ” 

“Archie St. Clair is away, so he will not be 
there,” said Betty. 

Antony’s face brightened. 

“And as to Geraldine — ?” 

“She said yesterday that she thought the 
fishermen of Foam Ridge should not be — 
well should not be noticed by the siunmer 
people, ’ ’ Antony said. 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


87 


“Did Geraldine say that?” Betty asked, 
her dark eyes flashing. 

“You just come to that party, Antony 
Marx, and if you ask me to let you take me 
out to the supper. I’ll be proud to go with 
you. Don’t you care a flg for what a girl 
like Geraldine thinks or says/* 

“I’ll be there, Betty, and proud enough 
I’ll be to take you out to supper,” said the 
boy, and he went oft whistling. 

Lanterns, lanterns of every shape, and 
color! Big lanterns, bigger lanterns, giant 
lanterns, swaying, dipping, dancing in the 
cool evening breeze. 

They had looked fine at twilight, but now 
they blazed, like jewels of the night. 

Gem Island was fairly blazing with color. 

The lanterns bobbed along the shore, they 
hung from shrubs and trees, they outlined 


88 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


the porch of each house, were festooned 
along the gallery, and hung high up on the 
tower. 

Among the little guests who walked about 
the lawn, listening to the fine music that the 
band was playing, were a few who had come 
from Merrivale. 

Molly Merton, Katie Dean, with her 
cousin Reginald, Reginald’s big brother, 
Arabella Correyville, and her cousin Le- 
ander, and — Patricia Levine! 

Patricia had not been invited, but, with 
her usual boldness, had invited herself. 

‘‘As long as Arabella was invited, I 
thought you wouldn’t mind if I came along, 
too!” she said to Dorothy. Patricia’s bold- 
ness was amazing. 

One would hardly believe that a child 
would care to attend a party to which she had 
not been invited, but Patricia would do any- 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


89 


thing, rather than have it said that she was 
not there. Dorothy, in white muslin with 
blue ribbons and pink rosebuds, was very 
fair, and Nancy in pink muslin with pink 
ribbons kept close beside her as they moved 
about among their friends, eager that none 
should feel neglected. 

Vera was dancing, flitting, not for a mo- 
ment still, and some one said that her light 
green frock made her look like a water 
sprite. 

Jack Tiverton, one of the boys from Mer- 
rivale, stood talking with Flossie and her 
Uncle Harry. 

“I can’t row worth a cent,” Jack was say- 
ing. “I’ve had little chance to be out in a 
boat, and no one to coach me.” 

“Will you be my guest for a few days, 
Jack?” Uncle Harry said. 

“Why, thank you, sir, I can’t think of 


90 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


anything I’d like better,” J ack said, eagerly. 

“Well, then,” said Uncle Harry, “there’s 
the very chap to coach you, for he is abso- 
lutely at home in a boat. Antony ! ’ ’ 

Antony turned and hurried toward him. 
When the two boys were introduced. Jack 
heartily grasped Antony’s hand, and from 
the start each liked the other, and each knew 
that he had found a friend. 

There were games out on the lawn for the 
first of the evening, and Antony was one of 
the best of the players. 

There were prizes to be won, and all were 
eager to strive for them. 

The boy’s prize was to be a fine scarf-pin. 

Geraldine Togmore meant to try very hard 
for a prize, the girl’s prize being a dainty 
brooch. 

A stake driven into the lawn, and many- 
colored hoops to be tossed upon it, was the 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


91 


game that had looked to be so simple that 
nearly all were tempted to try for the prize. 
It was a very old game, but many of the girls 
and boys had never played it, and excitement 
ran high. 

Geraldine had thought that she could 
easily toss her hoops onto the stake. The 
first that she fiung went far to the right, the 
second, as far to the left, and the third went 
over the stake and about ten feet beyond it. 
As she saw the third hoop fiying far beyond 
the stake, she turned away in disgust. 

‘‘It^s a silly game !” she said as she left the 
group of players, and wandered over to a 
low seat. 

A clump of fiowering shrubs hid a group 
of boys and girls who were chatting, but 
Geraldine plainly heard what they were say- 
ing. 

“Who is that girl that left the game, soon 


92 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


as she found that she couldn’t win the prize 
without trying?” a boyish voice asked. 

“I don’t know her name,” a girl’s voice re- 
plied, ‘‘but she wasn’t very polite to say the 
game was silly. It wouldn’t be very nice to 
speak like that about anything that has been 
planned for the party. Out of ten hoops 
that I flung only two went onto the stake, but 
it was fun, all the same. Fun just to try.” 

“Who is that fine-looking fellow who al- 
ready has seven hoops over the stake?” 

“Dorothy called him ‘Antony’ just now. 
I don ’t know his other name. Some one said 
that he belongs here.” 

“Well, I guess he’s one of the sort that can 
do ’most anything, for Jack Tiverton says he 
can handle a pair of oars in great shape, and 
he has promised to coach Jack — oh, I say! 
Look! He did win the prize, and Dorothy 
is presenting it. Good for him ! Hurrah ! ’ ’ 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


93 


With hearty good-will their voices joined 
in the general cheering, and Geraldine rose 
hastily and walked farther away from the 
sound of the laughter and good cheer. 

V era V ane won the girl ’s prize. The boys 
had picked up the hoops for her, keeping her 
supplied, so that she might try again and 
again. 

She was so eager and excited that she 
could hardly keep still long enough to throw 
a hoop, and when she was proclaimed the 
winner, she actually gasped. 

Me! Truly for me?^^ she cried. Why, 
how ever did I win it. Oh-oo! Pin it on 
for me, quick. Somebody hold me tight so 
I won’t fly all to pieces I” 

“I’ll hug you,” Dorothy cried, laughing 
at Vera’s excitement, “and Vera, dear, 
you’re more fun even than the game.” 

With the pretty pin in place, Vera did a 


94 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


comical whirl, some funny steps, another 
whirl, like a top, and sat down. 

“I always feel better after a whirl,’’ she 
declared, and she wondered why they 
laughed. 

‘^You must feel great most of the time, 
then,” said Jack Tiverton, ‘‘for you seem to 
be whirling whenever I look your way.” 

“Well, Jack Tiverton, the next time — ” 
Both were laughing, but J ack did not learn 
what her threat was to be, because just at 
that moment, Betty Chase, with Antony 
Marx, ran toward them. 

“I don’t believe you heard supper an- 
nounced. We were just going up to the 
house, and Antony thought of you, so we 
came down here to tell you. Come on!” 
cried Betty, and the others were quick to 
follow. 

There was an open courtyard between the 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


95 


two houses, and it was there that the spread 
was served. 

A fine tree stood at each corner of the 
square courtyard, and the huge scarlet 
canopy was hung from the trees, a square of 
scarlet cloth with golden dragons upon it. 

From Japan it came, and from each cor- 
ner hung a big red lantern, while little lan- 
terns of varied colors bobbed and danced 
along its edges. 

‘‘What a grand place to have a supper 
in!” said Antony, his dark eyes dancing. 

“And what a grand supper to enjoy in any 
sort of place!” said Reginald Dean, and the 
others agreed. 

Mrs. Dainty well knew that the salt air 
would sharpen the appetites of her little 
guests, and there was substantial food, as 
well as tempting dainties. A huge chicken- 
pie held the place of honor, and there were 


96 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


sandwiches of every sort. There were cups 
of hot bouillon, and hot chocolate, and these 
were enjoyed, as the breeze that swept in 
from the sea was becoming cooler. After 
these came the ices and cakes, and bonbons. 

Uncle Harry told jolly stories that kept 
them laughing at his ready wit. 

Arabella Correyville, and her cousin, 
Leander, did not appear to be amused. 
They were a droll pair, whose minds worked 
so slowly that they did not see the point of a 
joke until long after it had been told, and by 
that time another story was being told. 
Geraldine sat next to them at the table, and 
she looked as if she were still provoked be- 
cause she had not won a prize. 

Nancy and Flossie were listening to Uncle 
Harry, who was telling of a trip that he had 
once taken when, as a small boy, he had 
played truant from school. 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


97 


He had hoped to catch a lot of fish, but 
instead had one very tiny trout to show for 
his efforts. He said he caught something 
when he reached home, but it wasn’t fish. 

Geraldine thus far had been silent, but 
now she spoke. 

Looking sharply at Antony, she said: 
‘‘Well, I wouldn’t go fishing, or get into a 
fishing-boat for anything, for I hate the hor- 
rid smell of fish.” 

Antony’s dark cheeks reddened, and Doro- 
thy looked in hurt surprise at the girl who 
was willing to be so rude. 

“Well, I can tell you of a trip I enjoyed, 
and I had to smell some fish, too,” said 
Leander, in his slow, drawling voice. It was 
the first time he had spoken. 

“Let’s have it,” said Uncle Harry, hoping 
to turn attention from Antony. Little did 
he dream what was coming. 


98 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘Oh, ’tisn’t a story, but my father took me 
with him one time when he was going to in- 
spect a big fish-canning factory, and I en- 
joyed that trip. It was a big plant, and I 
saw them canning salmon, and say! That 
girl over there just said she couldn’t stand a 
little fish! What would have happened to 
her if she had visited the big Togmore fac- 
tory?” 

“I think you’re just perfectly horrid!” 
cried Geraldine. “I donT know who you 
are, but you’re horrid !” 

Leander blinked in surprise. 

“I don’t know who you are,” he drawled, 
“and I don’t want to,” he said slowly, won- 
dering what had angered her. 

Not even Uncle Harry understood, but 
Mrs. Dainty knew. 

Geraldine Togmore was an orphan, and 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


99 


the money that she had inherited had been 
made in the canning factory of which Lean- 
der had told. 

She had sneered at fishing in order to spite 
Antony because he would not take her out in 
his boat, preferring to take Dorothy and 
Nancy. In telling of the Togmore factory, 
Leander had said that if one did not like the 
odor of fishing on a small scale, how much 
worse would it be if one visited a canning 
factory where fish was handled by wholesale. 

Leander had not heard her name, so he was 
still mildly wondering what had made her 
eyes fiash. 

Geraldine’s silly pride had made her often 
wish that her father had been a banker, or 
had dealt in jewels, but fish — oh, she did 
wish he had had nothing to do with fish. 

Foolish girl ! Why did she not think that 


100 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


she could do good with her money, and that 
it mattered not at all how it was acquired, so 
long as it was honestly gained? 

They now turned toward the house, and 
soon nimble feet were dancing to merry 
music. 

Games were next in order, and Antony 
found himself so popular that he forgot both 
Geraldine and her unkindness. 

In one game, ‘‘The Prince and His Prin- 
cess,’^ it was little Flossie Barnet who chose 
Antony. 

As she placed the badge upon his breast, 
she looked up into his eyes so earnestly that 
he blushed. 

“You do look like a prince, doesn’t he, 
Uncle Harry?” she said. 

“Antony is quite a lad,” agreed her uncle 
heartily. 

Patricia had certainly enjoyed the party. 


AN ISLAND PARTY 


101 


and she was glad that she had come even al- 
though uninvited. 

Already she was planning a wonderful de- 
scription of the party to be told to her aunt, 
and to every one that she chanced to meet 
when she returned to Merrivale. 

She had heard Mollie Merton say that she 
and Katie Dean, and her cousin Reginald, 
were to stay at Flossie Barnetts house, and 
that others were to be the guests of Mrs. 
Dainty. 

Betty Chase’s father was to come over in 
the launch to call for her, and Antony Marx 
would return to Foam Ridge with them. 

‘‘Which house will you stay at, Ara- 
bella?” Patricia asked, “ ’cause I shall 
snuggle in where you do.” 

She had been bold enough to invite her- 
self, and she was determined to have all the 
fun there was to be had. 


102 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“Arabella isn’t going to stay anywhere/* 
declared Leander. “I promised Aunt Ma- 
tilda I’d bring her home to-night, and if you 
want me to get you home, Patricia, you’ll 
just step lively, for I’ve just found out that 
the launch is waiting. Now, step quick, I 
say.” 

Patricia obeyed. She dared not do other- 
wise. 


CHAPTER VI 

PIRATE BAR 

U can’t go out in fine clothes,” said 



i Antony, as they stood on the shore 
at Foam Ridge. ‘‘The boat isn’t what 
you’d call ‘bone dry’ at the bottom, and be- 
sides we’re sure to get drenched with spray 
when we ride the breakers.” 

“I’m limited to the suit I wore down to the 
party. If I’d dreamed of being invited to 
stay, I’d have brought some other duds 
along,” Jack said. 

“I could lend you a ‘rig,’ but I’ll bet you 
wouldn’t wear it. Say! It’s about as tasty 
as the one I have on, ” Antony said, laughing. 

“You can bet I’d wear it. What do you 


103 


104 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


suppose I care how I look? I’m going out 
rowing. Did you think I was going to a 
beauty show?” 

“You’re all right, Jack,” declared An- 
tony, “and you’ve given me a big surprise, 
for I’d never believed, as I saw you last 
night at the party, that you’d agree to do 
anything that called for outrageous old 
clothes.” 

Jack laughed. Then he said: “The 
same to you, Antony Marx. You weren’t 
dressed for clam-digging, were you? You 
didn’t look like it when you took Betty Chase 
out to supper.” 

“Well, come on over to that little shanty, 
and I’ll bring you a rig such as you never 
wore,” said Antony. 

In a few moments he returned, and when 
J ack stepped out upon the beach in his new 
costume, he looked as if he had always been 


PIRATE BAR 


105 


a fisherman’s son. No, one thing would 
have spoiled that idea, for below the old 
trousers his legs gleamed white, and un- 
tanned. 

A loose blouse hung from his shoulders, 
and a broad-brimmed old hat with a hole in 
the crown completed his costume. 

“My, doesn’t it feel good to wear things I 
needn’t take care of ?” he said. “Come on, 
Antony! I’m eager for the lesson in row- 
ing.” 

“You’ll blister your hands,” warned An- 
tony, and again he was surprised. 

“What do I care for a few blisters if I can 
learn how to handle the oars as an oarsman 
should ? The last time I tried it the fellows 
guyed me unmercifully. Said I used them 
as if they were teaspoons! Gee! I vowed 
then and there that the first chance I had to 
learn, I’d make good use of.” 


106 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Jack proved to be an apt pupil, and An- 
tony took an honest pride in coaching him. 

The party guests who had remained at 
Gem Island that night had left on the launch 
at early morning, and now on the beach, 
Dorothy, Nancy, Vera, and Flossie were 
talking over the happenings of the day be- 
fore. 

“This island looked like a fairy isle,’’ said 
Vera, “and I never saw so many lovely lan- 
terns before. There was every color you 
could think of, and odd shapes such as I 
surely never thought of.” 

“It did look pretty, and I think every one 
had a fine time,” Dorothy said. 

“I heard Patricia, as usual, telling a 
funny yarn, ’ ’ N ancy said, laughing. ‘ ‘ Some 
one was saying that it looked lovely here with 
such a huge number of lanterns, and Patri- 
cia said that she went to a party once in 


PIRATE BAR 


107 


N’York, where, besides all the lanterns that 
were hanging, there were just oceans of lan- 
terns sitting around on the floor, and you 
had to be careful not to step on them.’’ 

‘‘Oh, why does Patricia tell such — ” 
Nancy paused. 

“I guess it is ’cause she is Patricia,” 
Flossie said, “and oh, look! Look I An- 
tony is rowing to the island.” 

“And who is that with him that looks just 
like him,” cried Vera. “You never said 
Antony had a brother, and where has he left 
his fine pupil ? J ack went out with him this 
morning.” 

It was not until the two occupants of the 
boat had landed, and were running toward 
them that they recognized J ack. 

How they laughed. 

“We didn’t know you!” they cried as if 
with one voice. 


108 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 

hardly know myself,” said Jack, ‘‘but 
say, girls ! I’ve had the greatest time. An- 
tony lent me this outfit, and it has been 
more fun out there on the water, rowing, 
getting splashed with spray, having my bare 
feet in a puddle in the bottom of the boat, 
and all the time having to give never a 
thought to the clothes I was wearing. I 
don’t know when I’ve been off on a trip that 
did me so much good.” 

“Oh, Jack, I’m so glad you could stay,” 
Dorothy said. 

“And so am I,” said Jack, “and I’ve made 
Antony promise to come to Merrivale for a 
little visit, for he’s sure to like Merrivale, 
and I want my father to know the chap that 
taught me to row.” 

“That will be fine,” said Nancy, “but. 
Jack, what have you done with your other 
clothes?” 


PIRATE BAR 


109 


“Sure enough! They^re over at Foam 
Ridge. Well, I’ll get them now,” and like a 
flash Antony was in his boat, and rowing for 
the shore, while they watched his progress 
with admiring eyes. 

“Come!” cried Vera, who could not stand 
still another second: “let’s join hands and 
dance!” 

They waited for no urging, and around 
they flew in a circle, light of foot, and light 
of heart. 

And while the girls were dancing. Jack 
was searching for the gardener. 

A number of the boys had found him on 
the evening of the party, and had coaxed him 
to tell them tales of hunting and adventure, 
and he had hinted that those to which they 
had listened were not all the weird tales that 
he knew. 

He was engaged in telling a pirate story 


110 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


when Antony returned. Jack’s eyes were 
wide with excitement. 

“Come on down here, every one of you, 
and listen to the greatest sea yarn you ever 
heard,” he cried, and the girls all interest, 
ran to where Jack and Antony stood en- 
tranced by the tale that John was telling. 

“To think,” cried Jack, “that out there 
on Pirate Bar, a pirate ship was wrecked 
years and years ago, and they say that now, 
on nights when there’s no moonlight, folks 
see that ghostly white pirate ship just as 
plain, as — oh, as plain as anything!” 

“We’ve never seen it,” said Dorothy, 
slowly, but evidently much impressed, but 
Nancy looked out to where Pirate Bar 
gleamed white in the sunlight. 

“How can the pirate ship be seen when 
there’s no ship there?” she asked. 

“No one knows how it can be seen,” John 


PIRATE BAR 


111 


said testily, “an’ we ain’t even supposed to 
know, but them as has seen it don’t doubt 
their own eyes.” 

“Have you seen it, John?” questioned 
Jack, to which the old fellow replied: 

“Well, me boy, I jist heard the yarn this 
morning from an old feller wot was once a 
seafaring chap, but now is raisin’ garden 
truck on a little place he owns over beyond 
Foam Kidge. He come over here early wid 
some wegetables an’ fruit Mrs. Dainty had 
ordered, an’ before goin’ back, he sat down, 
sociable like, fer a bit of a chat wid me, an’ 
it’s then he told me the tale of the phantom 
ship. Ter-night, if it be moonlight, it’s no 
use lookin’, but the fust dark night I’ll be 
on the lookout, although if I see it, I know 
me hair will be on end. ” 

“Mine will, too,” said Jack, “for it never 
cares to stay in place, no matter how much I 


112 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


brush it, and if I see that ghost ship over 
there on the bar, I believe I ’ll never be able 
to even brush it again. ’ ’ 

“I’ve heard so many yarns, ever since I 
can remember, that not a single hair of mine 
rises now, no matter what I hear,” Antony 
said, “but I never heard that story, and I 
thought my father knew all of the stories 
there are about this place. There are all 
sorts of legends about Pirate Bar, but while 
’most all the fishermen believe there’s 
pirate’s gold, just loads of it, hidden some- 
where on the bar, no one has ever found a 
bit of it. Men have dug there hoping to 
find it, but, so far, no one has found anything 
by digging but more sand.” 

“Well, if I were a man,” said Vera, “or 
even a big boy, I’d go over there with a 
shovel, and I’d dig all day and every day 
until I felt sure that the treasure was not 


PIRATE BAR 


113 


hidden on that much of the bar that is 
above the sea, and the next thing I’d do, I’d 
dive down to see if they had sunk it just off 
the shore.” 

“And suppose you couldn’t dive?” Jack 
asked, teasingly. 

“Then I’d hire a man that could,” Vera 
said, promptly. 

“Well, I may take a notion to dig up and 
down the length and breadth of Pirate Bar 
sometime,” Antony said, “but I don’t feel 
in a rush to begin.” 

“I don’t see why,” Vera said. 

“Oh, I told you that so many men had dug 
there, and not one of them ever found any- 
thing.” 

Vera was persistent. 

“But you might be the very one that 
would,” she said, eagerly. 


CHAPTEE VII 


THE SHIP OH THE BAR 

P IRATE BAR was one of the places 
that held the interest of the people who 
came to the shore. It was only a narrow 
strip of land, with neither tree nor shrub 
upon it. It had no beauty, but it had a 
mystery, and the fishermen picked up many 
a dollar by relating the story of the treasure 
that the pirates had hidden away somewhere 
on the Bar, and then taking those who had 
listened out across the bay that they might 
explore that bit of land where pirates once 
had been. Rarely did a week pass without a 
new pirate story in circulation, and now the 
latest one seemed fairly to surpass all other 
legends. 


114 


THE SHIP ON THE BAR 


115 


J ack and Antony had been greatly inter- 
ested, but the girls were more than inter- 
ested ; they were excited. 

“It is no use looking for it on a moonlight 
night, because the boys say it doesn’t show 
then,” Nancy said, “and a stormy night 
wouldn’t be any better. We couldn’t see as 
far out as Pirate Bar if it was raining.” 

“It won’t storm to-night,” said Vera, 
“and if there’s no moon. I’ll stand on the 
porch, and I’ll stare and stare until, ’way, 
’way out there I can see that pirate ship. 
Won’t that be wonderful? Aren’t you 
nearly wild to see it, Dorothy?” 

“I would, and — I wouldn’t like seeing it,” 
Dorothy said slowly. 

‘ ‘ ’Fraid ? ’ ’ questioned V era, laughing. 

“No,” Dorothy said firmly, “not afraid, 
but every time that I think of seeing it, I 
wonder if I do really wish to.” 


116 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘I know,” said Nancy. “Dorothy feels 
just as I do about it. It is that if the pirate 
ship should he ever so plainly in sight, it 
isn’t real, and that makes us feel not really 
scared, but just queer.** 

“Well, that’s the part I like,” said Vera, 
“that makes you catch your breath. Oh, 
how I do like to be scared!” 

Aunt Charlotte had been away for a few 
days, and now as Uncle Harry’s fine launch 
came puf&ng up to the little pier, they saw 
that she had returned, and soon he was com- 
ing up toward the house with her. 

They ran to meet her, and each was eager 
to tell her a bit of their latest news. 

“My party was fine, Aunt Charlotte, and 
I did so wish that you were here,” Dorothy 
said, lovingly. “You’d have enjoyed it; 
every one did. Oh, that is the best part of 
having a party. I feel so happy when I 


THE SHIP ON THE BAR 


117 


look around, and see that every one is having 
a good time.’’ 

“That is true, Dorothy. In giving pleas- 
ure, we make happiness, and we, ourselves, 
are happy, ’ ’ Aunt Charlotte said. 

“And Antony came, and he won a prize, 
and Betty Chase went out to supper with 
him,” said Nancy. 

Then the three tried to tell about the pirate 
ship. 

Aunt Charlotte laughed. 

“If you’ll regard the tale as merely amus- 
ing, that will be all right, but you surely must 
not for a moment believe a story like that,” 
she said. 

And now, while it still was daylight, the 
moon appeared, showing faintly as if barely 
hinting that evening was almost at hand. 

“Well, moony, moony! You’re a nui- 
sance,” cried Vera. “I have to go home 


118 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


next week, and I do want just a glimpse of 
that pirate ship before I go. I know I’ll 
just shiver if I do see it, and that would be 
such fun!” 

The next morning Uncle Harry took them 
out for a little trip in the launch, and, before 
returning, stopped at Foam Eidge to make 
some purchases. 

They were to walk up and down the beach 
for a short time, when he would take them 
back to the island. Flossie had picked up a 
long string of kelp, and was dragging it 
through the little pools that the receding tide 
had left. She was a bit behind the others. 
Dorothy and Nancy walked arm in arm. 
Vera from time to time picked up small 
shells thus enlarging her collection. 

Neither of them noticed a girl, who, com- 
ing from the section where the stores were, 
was now doing her best to head them off. 


TEE SHIP ON THE BAR 


119 


thus ensuring her the chance of meeting 
them. 

^ ‘ Hello I W ait for me, everybody. ’ ^ 

They turned, as they were bid, and waited 
for Susannah. What else could they do? 
If they did not wait, she would overtake 
them, and be far more unpleasant than if 
they paused to hear what she had to say. 

‘‘I want to tell you about a trip that Geral- 
dine and I are planning, and it will he some 
trip. Say ! We ’re going out in my father ’s 
launch, and you couldn’t guess in a month 
where we’re going, so I’ll tell you. We’re 
going over to Pirate Bar, and we’ve just 
bought two small shovels, and we’re going to 
dig for that treasure that all the boys are 
talking about. I wonder they don’t go over 
there and dig, instead of just talking. We 
both feel sure that we shall hit the very spot 
where the gold was hidden.” 


120 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“Isn’t it nice that you feel suref^' Vera 
asked, quietly. 

Susannah glanced up sharply, but Vera’s 
eyes looked very mild, quite as if she had 
meant what she said. 

“Of course it’s fine to feel sure,” she said, 
“and if the man that lives there don’t mind, 
we’ll be all right.” 

“I didn’t know that any one lived there,” 
Dorothy said. 

“He doesn’t live right out on the Bar, but 
he’s built a little shanty on the mainland, and 
he watches every boat that either stops or 
passes. The boys say he doesn’t intend that 
any more people shall come there to dig, but 
I guess he’ll let two little girls land there. 
Anyway, we’re going to. The boys have 
seen him, and his wife, too, and they say 
they’d be more afraid of her than they 
would be of him.” 


THE SHIP ON THE BAR 


121 


“Why do you go there, if you know they 
don’t want you to?” Nancy asked. 

“To dig for gold. I told you that, be- 
fore,” Susannah said rudely, “and for 
’nother reason. To show the boys that they, 
not we girls, are ‘fraidie cats.’ ” 

Uncle Harry was now coming rapidly 
along the beach, and saying good-by to 
Susannah, they ran to meet him. 

“I’ll come over to Gem Island some day 
soon to see you, ’ ’ she called as the launch was 
leaving the pier. 

They were now too far off to reply, so they 
waved their hands to her. Uncle Harry 
only laughed when they told him what Geral- 
dine and Susannah planned to do. 

“They may think that they are going out 
in the launch on that trip to Pirate Bar, but 
thinking and doing are n*ot quite the same 
thing,” he said. “I am sure that Mrs. Car- 


122 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


rolton would not permit her little niece to go 
out in that launch without some grown per- 
son with her who is capable of running it, 
and if Mr. Searles is as sensible a man as 
I think he is, he will put a stop to any such 
wild cruise as Susannah and Geraldine have 
planned.’^ 

“But, Uncle Harry, they truly think they 
are going,” said Flossie. 

“And Susannah seems just determined!” 
declared Vera. 

“And Mrs. Carrol ton does truly let Geral- 
dine do as she likes,” said Dorothy. 

“And Geraldine likes to do awful things,” 
Nancy hastened to add. 

“And after listening to all of these re- 
marks,” Uncle Harry said, “I stick to my 
statement. Now, wait and see if I am 
right.” 

The afternoon was rather warm for lively 


THE SHIP ON THE BAR 


123 


games, and Nancy proposed sitting in the 
big swinging seat on the porch, and taking 
turns at telling stories, but Vera was too 
restless for that. 

‘ ‘ Oh, let ^s not sit still ! ’ ’ she cried. ‘ ‘ What 
if we do get nearly roasted, we can get cool 
again, can’t we?” 

^‘Oh, surely we can,” Dorothy said, 
quickly. ‘ ‘ What shall we play ? ’ ’ 

She knew that Vera was a bit selfish, but 
she was a guest. .Dorothy was eager that 
Vera should enjoy her visit. 

Vera chose tag, then hide-and-seek, and 
after a time, even she was glad to sit on the 
porch and enjoy the cool breeze that swept in 
from the sea. 

“We might tell stories now,” she said. 

Dorothy told a lovely old legend that her 
mother had read to her. 

Then Nancy remembered one to which she 


124 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


was always ready to listen. It was a hap- 
pening in Aunt Charlotte’s girlhood, and 
she told it in a very interesting manner. 

“Now it is your turn, Vera.” 

“All right,” said Vera, “I’ll tell one that 
one of our maids told me.” 

It proved to be a very long story, and 
Dorothy and Nancy began to wonder why it 
interested Vera. The maid must have been 
a much-traveled person, for the story de- 
scribed happenings in the North, South, 
East, and West, skipped across the ocean, 
and gayly back again, but finally took the 
maid South where Vera thought the best 
part of the lengthy tale was yet to be related. 

“Now here’s the part that will make you 
open your eyes,” she said. 

“Our eyes are open,” Dorothy said, laugh- 
ing because Vera’s expression was so droU. 

“Now, you just hark!” commanded Vera. 


TEE SHIP ON THE BAR 


125 


“.Judy Ann went over to look at the old house 
that her cousin was going to live in. First 
she looked at the cellar, but that wasn’t much 
to look at, and next she went through all the 
rooms on the first floor, and she said that she 
couldn’t tell why, but she certainly began to 
feel queer, and each room that she entered, 
she felt queerer, and when she got to the 
attic, she could just barely go up those 
stairs!” 

Vera paused for effect, and then con- 
tinued. “Well, when she reached the attic, 
there were a few old trunks and they were 
all covered with dust, and she was just think- 
ing that she’d seen all there was to see, and 
might as well go down-stairs when 'she hap- 
pened to turn ’round, and there stood an — 
OLD WOMAN!” 

Vera shouted the last two words, and 
Dorothy and Nancy sprang to their feet. 


126 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“Oh, who was she?^^ cried Dorothy, but 
Vera was laughing too hard to be able at 
once to answer. 

“Oo — o! What a scare I gave you,” she 
cried, delighted with the impression that her 
story had made. 

They were all laughing now, and Nancy 
gave Vera a bit of a shake. 

“Vera Vane, you just tell us this minute 
who that old woman was,” she demanded. 

“Oh — ol” cried Vera, “such a grand 
scare, and it was only the old woman that 
owned the house, just up in that attic to see 
if she’d left anything that she intended to 
take to her new home.” 

It had been a sunny day, but at sunset the 
sky became overcast. It was evidently not 
to be a moonlight night. Often at evening a 
heavy fog drifted in from the sea, but on this 
night one could see far out across the water. 


TEE SHIP ON THE BAR 


127 


Dorothy and Nancy were out on the 
porch, and while neither had spoken of 
Pirate Bar, each was looking in that direc- 
tion. 

“Looking for the mysterious pirate 
shipP’ Vera asked as she joined them. 

“We all seem to be thinking about it,” 
Dorothy said. 

“And each of us has on a warm coat or a 
sweater, so that looks as if we meant to stay 
here long enough to watch for it,” Nancy 
said. 

“I don’t believe a single word of that 
story,” Dorothy said. “Mother says that it 
isn’t right to listen to, or to read ghost 
stories, because they only frighten us need- 
lessly, since not one of them is true:” 

“That’s what Aunt Charlotte tells me,” 
Nancy said, “and because I have no mother, 
she’s been* the same as one to me.” 


128 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“My mother says that, too,” said Vera, 
“and I know she’s right, yet here we are 
waiting, for what*? To see what we’re sure 
we won ’t see ? ” V era laughed, pointing her 
finger at the other two. 

“Oo — o! Look! Look there!” Vera’s 
voice was shrill with excitement. They 
turned, and for a moment neither spoke. 

Dorothy turned white, and the faces of 
the others were of much the same hue. 

There, where in daylight they w^ere wont 
to see Pirate Bar, appeared a white object, 
its outline hardly visible, but its steady 
whiteness indisputable ! 

Dorothy grasped Nancy’s arm, and, with- 
out a word, pointed to that white blur across 
the water. 

Even Vera, dauntless Vera, felt very un- 
steady on her feet, and grasped the railing 
of the porch. 


TEE SHIP ON THE BAR 


129 


And below them, on the path came the 
voice of John. 

‘ ‘ Och I Look ut ! Look ut ! Sure that’s 
the rascal’s ship, the pirate ship, an’ me a 
sinsible mon a seein’ it wid me own oyes! 
Wot now says them as has declared there 
ain’t no such thing. Away wid ye 1 Away, 
I say!” but the white radiance remained 
just as they had at first seen it. 

Then something happened that lifted the 
strain of the last few moments. It was 
Uncle Harry singing. He had stepped out 
to enjoy the evening air, and his bold bari- 
tone seemed endeavoring to put their fear to 
fiight. 

‘ ‘ U ncle Harry ! Come quick 1 ” they cried, 
and the song ceased as he ran across the lawn 
to join them. 

The gardener ran toward the porch. 
“Och, Mr. Harry, an’ it’s yur brave silf will 


130 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


hov ter admit that th’ ole pirates is ris up an’ 
is at their owld pranks agin, whin ye see — ’’ 
“And it is so white and awful — ” 

“And right out there where the boys said 
it was, and we — ” 

“You just look and see if — ” 

John and the three little girls were all 
talking at once. 

“Look where, and see whatV* questioned 
IJncle Harry, laughing at their excitement. 
He looked out across the water, and for a 
moment he was silent. Then he thrust his 
hands in his pockets, and faced the fright- 
ened group. 

“I am not in the habit of betting,” he 
said, “but I think I’ll risk just saying that 
I’ll bet five hundred dollars that that old 
fellow that lives over on the bar has rigged 
up something with electric light to make peo- 
ple believe in that ghost-ship story. 


THE SHIP ON THE BAR 


131 


“For the last few weeks people around 
here have been getting a bit tired of the 
Pirate Bar stories, and I am pretty sure that 
he is trying to revive their interest. I ’ll find 
out to-morrow if I am right. Why, little 
friends, see how steady that light is ! That 
is something that that chap has contrived to 
scare people into believing those pirate 
yarns. Then they’ll be more anxious to pay 
for the privilege of digging there.” 

“What does he charge?” Nancy asked. 

“All that he dares to,” Uncle Harry said. 

“He gets a dollar each from those who will 
pay it, but if they hesitate, he says a half 
dollar will do. The boys have been rowing 
over there lately, and commencing to dig 
without paying and he has driven them off. 
I believe he has rigged this electric-light fake 
ghost, thinking that the people will be more 
eager to dig there, and he may think that 


132 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


even the boys will be more willing to pay if 
the mystery yarns can be made to seem more 
real.” 

Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte heard 
their voices, and joined the group upon the 
porch. 

They were shown the white light out to sea, 
and Uncle Harry told them his intention of 
riding over to that part of the shore from 
which the point extended into the little bay. 

“These little girls haven’t quite gotten 
over their fright yet, and I am sure that 
John is still trembling,” he said, to which 
John, looking a bit sheepish, replied: 

“Ah, now, but a foine gintleman loike 
yersilf has more brains ter kape himsilf 
steady wid than Oi hov.” 

“You’re all right, John,” was the laugh- 
ing reply, “and I’ll drive over there to-mor- 
row, and if I see you when I return. I’ll tell 


THE SHIP ON THE BAR 


133 


you all I discovered there about that spook 
ship.” 

“An’ glad Oi’ll be ter hear it, sir,” John 
said respectfully. 


CHAPTER VIII 


ANTONY 



LETTER arrived at Gem Island that 


XJl reminded Vera that she must return, 
and on the next day she stood on the little 
pier, saying good-by to the friends who had 
given her such a hearty welcome, and who 
now wished that she might longer remain 
with them. 

^‘Remember,” she said, as she was board- 
ing the launch, “Mother expects you two to 
make us a visit the first vacation you have. 
I can stay out of school to be with you when- 
ever you come.” That was so like Vera. 
Any excuse to remain away from school. 

“Write to us,” Dorothy called. 

“Yes, oh, yes,” Vera cried in return. 


134 


ANTONY 


135 


“Wow, wow!” barked little Fluff, and 
Vera threw a kiss to him. 

“Vera seems delighted and gay when she 
comes to us, and truly just as gay when she 
goes,” said Nancy. 

“I don’t like to say good-by,” Dorothy 
said, “but Vera doesn’t mind.” 

“Oh, that is just Vera,” Nancy said. 
“She likes to be going somewhere, whether 
it is going away or going home, it is all the 
same, because, wherever it is, it’s going 

“I guess that is it,” agreed Dorothy, 
“and what fun we’ve had with her.” 

When Uncle Harry returned on the 
launch, he reported that Vera was in high 
spirits. “Her father was at the pier, and 
Vera flew into his arms. She told him that 
her visit had been delightful. 

“ ‘But, Vera, dear, you outstayed the 
length of time for which you were invited, so 


136 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


that we were obliged to send for you,’ Mr. 
Vane said. 

“ ‘Oh, that’s all right,’ Vera said, ‘they 
really didn’t want me to leave to-day.’ ” 

Uncle Harry laughed as he thought of 
Vera’s last remark. 

“Good-by,” she called to him, as he was 
about to leave the pier. “Good-by! Oh, I 
surely am a funny girl, for I love to run away 
for a visit, and I certainly love to reach 
home. I ’m happy anywhere ! ’ ’ 

“May you always be happy, Vera!” he 
called to her, and floating out over the water 
came her answer : 

“I wish you the same,” followed by that 
light, rippling laugh that all her friends 
knew so well. 

In the swinging seat Dorothy and Nancy 
sat close together. They both missed Vera, 
the bright, restless sprite. Mrs. Dainty and 


ANTONY 


137 


Aunt Charlotte were looking over the parcel 
of mail that Uncle Harry had brought from 
the post-office at Foam Kidge. 

“I have to make a trip to New York, 
J ohn,” he said to the old gardener, “and you 
must be a faithful watchman while I am 
gone. You and the butler must guard the 
two families, and also see that no one who 
has no right to do so, lands on the Island.” 

“We’ll do thot same, sor,” John replied, 
“an’ J ames bein’ the bigger feller av the two, 
Oi think Oi’ll let him do most av the guard- 
in’, whoile Oi do the bulk av the heavy 
watchin’.” 

“All right, John. Divide the task to suit 
yourselves, but be faithful to your trust.” 

“Thot we will,” John answered, stoutly. 

And while Uncle Harry stood talking to 
the gardener, confident, because he knew that 
John and the butler were loyal and true, and 


138 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


assured that the dear ones on that island 
would be safe while he and Mr. Dainty were 
absent, two slouching figures stood on the 
beach at the farther end of Foam Ridge talk- 
ing of Gem Island. 

They were scarcely more than overgrown 
lads, but their faces were hard, and their 
appearance far from pleasing, as they stood 
talking in undertones, and from time to time 
pointing toward the Island. 

“I tell you, I’m right,” said one, “when I 
say that we’ll be seen before we git a chance 
ter land on the Island.” 

“Sure we will,” the stouter one replied, 
“if we’re silly ’nough ter try an’ reach the 
pier, but I ain’t claimin’ we’ll do that. I 
heard that big, fine-lookin’ feller wot sings 
tollin’ over at the store that he was a-goin’ 
ter New York, an’ that he planned ter meet 
Mr. Dainty there. Don’t that tell yer as 


ANTONY 


139 


plain as the nose on yer face that them two 
fine gents is ter be in the city ter-day, an’ 
ter-night at least?” 

“Did yer hear him say that?” the other 
asked. 

“Ain’t I jest said so?” was the sharp re- 
ply, “an’ I plan ter land on the tip end er 
that island, where that clump of scrubby 
bushes is, an’ stay there till it’s good an’ 
dark, and then, when the lights is out in 
them winders, go on over there, an’ see wot 
we kin find that’s val’able.” 

“We’ll have some trip ter git back ter our 
boat, an’ push off,” objected the younger lad. 
“I mean if we git scaret.” 

“Naw, we won’t,” the other declared 
stoutly. “We’ll put all we pick up in a ol’ 
bag I got, an’ in the darkness we kin make 
our way ter the boat an’ get off in no time.” 

“We almost got ketched on that fine job 


140 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


we tackled last time,’’ growled the objector, 
who seemed less bold than his companion. 

“Well, what if we did? Almost wasn’t 
quite, an’ that was on the mainland, where 
the ‘cops’ got after ns. Just remember 
there ain’t no ‘cops’ on Gem Island, sonny.” 

“All right,” was the response, as if he 
were at last convinced. 

Antony was very proud of the fact that 
he had found a way of earning a little extra 
money. 

The finest grocery store at Foam Ridge 
had hired him to take orders and he was 
“making good.” The customers liked him, 
and the firm approved of him because he was 
prompt and faithful. He enjoyed driving 
about taking orders from the cottagers, and 
especially he liked the three trips a week 
that he made to the Island. 


ANTONY 


141 


As he drove along the farther end of the 
beach, he noticed the two figures so earnestly 
talking. 

That’s a precious pair,” he said softly. 
“I wonder what they’re planning now? 
When Pat Macy and Miles Seton are talking 
together as earnestly as that, they’re up to 
something.” 

Again and again Antony thought of them 
as he had seen them standing and talking, 
and looking out across the water. 

Late in the afternoon, his employer sent 
him on a special errand. 

“I promised to send over to Gem Island 
to-day to see what those people over there 
may be needing, and I forgot all about it,” 
he said. 

^‘I’ll row over there in no time,” said An- 
tony who welcomed the excuse for a trip to 
Gem Island. He would have been delighted 


142 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


if it had been necessary for him to go there 
every day. He snatched his order-book 
from the counter, and ran to his boat. 
Briskly he plied his oars, for it was already 
late afternoon, and he must get his order, 
and make a second trip to deliver the goods. 

His first trip was uneventful. The cook 
gave him the list of what was needed, and he 
rowed back to Foam Ridge. 

There were many customers in the store, 
and the clerks were rushing this way and 
that in haste to satisfy the people who were 
none too patient. 

It seemed to Antony that he would never 
get a clerk to put up the parcels that were to 
fill his big basket, and twilight was at hand. 

After long waiting, a man came up to him. 

“Well, what is it, lad?’’ he asked, adding: 
“It’s after closing-time now.” 


ANTONY 


143 


“But I must have these things for Gem 
Island,” said Antony. 

‘ ‘ That ’s so. W ell, I ’ll fill your order, and 
when you’ve delivered it, you can go straight 
home, because the store will be closed when 
you get back. You can leave your basket 
there and get it the next time you’re over 
there.” 

After what seemed to the boy like endless 
waiting, the well-filled basket was given him, 
and he turned toward the shore. 

Some one, in his absence, had thought it a 
great joke to dump a lot of old trash in the 
boat. Tin cans, old shoes, a keg, and a mass 
of dried seaweed, had been thrown in in evi- 
dent haste, and Antony’s eyes flashed with 
anger at the sight. 

“Funny joke!” he muttered, “and a great 
head that planned it. ’ ’ 


144 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


There was no time to lose, so he set to 
work, and at last was able to place his basket 
on the mass of seaweed, and row away, leav- 
ing the other rubbish on the beach. 

He was hot and tired when he again 
landed on the island, and it was well that the 
cook liked him, for any one else would have 
received a fine scolding for being so late. 

The kitchen was hot when he entered, and 
it seemed to grow steadily hotter while he 
stood waiting for the basket. 

“ There 1 Ye was late arrivin’, but I’m 
sure ye couldn’t help it, so there’s a apple- 
turnover for ye, an’ do ye sit down on the 
grass out there an’ eat it an’ cool off ’fore ye 
row back,” said the cook. 

Antony thanked her, promised to be 
prompt next time, and then remembered that 
he was to leave the basket. 

With his tempting treat, he threw himself 


ANTONY 


145 


upon the grass that grew at the foot of the 
ledge, and rapidly that turnover vanished. 
He was just thinking how good it had tasted, 
when he thought he heard low voices as if in 
conversation. Antony knelt by the cliff, and 
listened. Who could be down there at that 
hour, talking so cautiously? 

“It’s too early to have come up so near the 
house,” said a voice that was barely audible, 
‘ ‘ f er it ’s pretty light yet. ’ ’ 

“Aw, wot’s the harm in bein’ here?” 

“Wal, what would ye say if that big feller 
that tends the door happened around here 
jest about now? How’d ye explain wot 
we’re here for?” 

“Aw g ’wan now 1 I’d say we come to ask 
’em ter give us an order fer fresh fish. 
We’re much nearer the house. We’ll have 
ter wait a while till after the lights is out, 
jest ter let them swell folks an’ their servants 


146 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


git ter sleep, an’ then — us fer fillin’ this bag 
with suthin’ wuth while ! ’ ’ 

“Thieves!” whispered Antony, “and I’ll 
bet that’s Pat Macy and Miles Seton!” 

With but one thought, safety for the dear 
friends who had shown him such kindness, 
Antony paused but an instant. Should he 
tell the servants? No, that was only wast- 
ing precious moments. Softly, stealthily he 
turned toward where he had beached his 
boat. 

Creeping across the lawn in the shadow 
cast by the house, he reached his little boat 
without having made a sound. The tide 
was high, and already The Shell was lightly 
floating, where a half-hour before it had 
rested on the sand at the water’s edge. 

The great ledge on which the house stood, 
hid the little bay where the boat was moored. 
Although he had driven it up on the sand. 







■' jTr t 

J- Vkn 






- <‘-a‘’- 


w-.v:v 
(V- K?r. 

V.-J. 3^^-'-.-\s:/'/-J'A='^ ?': 

■.1,'^ ,"■ ■'V'' 

>• r - i'- ' ' /i* 

irT ^ 


V- pr (. 




Antony knelt by the cliff, and listened.— /' aye 



ANTONY 


147 


he had thought if, by any chance he was de- 
tained, the rising tide might float it, so he 
had taken care to tie it securely to the iron 
ring on the pile. 

Wading through the shallow water, he 
sprang into the boat, untied the rope, and 
grasping the oars, rowed slowly, softly, un- 
til he felt sure that he was far enough away 
so that the would-be sneak thieves could not 
hear the sound of vigorous rowing. 

“They’ll not go near the house until they 
think every one is asleep,” he said, under 
his breath, “and the police will have them 
before that.” 

He had been tired, but the thought of 
Dorothy, of Nancy, and the others of that 
happy family, of Flossie, and little Elfin, of 
Uncle Harry’s kindness to him, spurred him 
to renewed effort, and lent strength to his 


arms. 


148 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


As luck would have it, when he again 
reached the shore at Foam Ridge, the first 
person that he saw was big Tim Hanlon, the 
chief of police. 

“Wait for me, Tim!” he shouted, and the 
big man turned about. 

“Well, well, Antony, what’s up!” he 
called with a jolly laugh. 

“Something is up, and it is no joke, either. 
Just wait till I tell you,” cried Antony. 

“Well, you’re a bright one!” declared the 
policeman when he had heard the story. 
“Now then, you’ve had ’nough rowing for 
one night, but I ’ll get another officer, and two 
pairs of iron bracelets, that sounds a bit 
prettier than ‘handcuffs,’ and if you’ll come 
back with us, you can show us that quiet little 
landing-place that you used to-night. We 
must land without being seen by the two 
rascals. They, of course, are watching the 


ANTONY 


149 


pier, and if they saw us coming, they would 
race to the other end of the island, and be in 
their boat and out on the water before we 
could reach them. ’ ’ 

The two burly policemen made short work 
of rowing to the little bay on the island, and 
never were culprits more quietly arrested. 
They dared not resist. The two policemen 
were more than a match for them. 

^‘Now, not a sound!” warned Hanlon, 
‘‘for you’ll have to come along with us, so 
you may as well come quietly.” 

Not a member of the household dreamed 
what was happening. 

As the two rascals had neither seen An- 
tony arrive nor depart, they thought that he 
had merely come over with the officers for 
the pleasure of seeing them arrested, that he 
had probably begged for the privilege, and 
they frowned, as they sat in sullen silence, 


150 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


each vowing to “get even” with Antony, 
when they should regain their freedom. 

Antony saw them start on their way to- 
ward the station, then he turned toward 
home. 

“Dorothy is safe to-night,” he whispered, 
and blushed rosy red, although there was no 
one there to see him, or to hear what he had 
said. 

Antony had expected to let himself in, and 
go so quietly to bed that he would not waken 
his parents, so he was a bit surprised when 
he found his father standing in the doorway, 
smoking. 

“Well, well, boy, I was gettin^ a bit anx- 
ious,” he said, “an’ so’s yer ma. Not that 
it’s so late, but ye’ve not come home for sup- 
per, an’ that’s tur’ble odd fer you, Yer 
ma’s lyin’ down like I told her to, but she’s 


ANTONY 


151 


not asleep, fer every few minutes she asks 
if I see ye cornin’.’’ 

“I’ll eat some supper now,” Antony said, 
“I couldn’t come home sooner.” 

There was a lunch spread for him on the 
table, and he did full justice to it. 

And while he ate, he told of the evening’s 
happenings, adding: 

“I couldn’t leave those scamps there to 
plunder and rob.” 

“You did just right, boy,” said old Antony 
Marx, “and I’m proud of you.” 

“Why, Father?” the boy asked in aston- 
ishment. “What else could I do?” 

“Nothing else,” said his father, “being the 
good lad you are.” 


CHAPTER IX 

AT BETTY’S COTTAGE 

T he dwellers on Gem Island awoke the 
next morning happy in the thought 
that while Mr. Dainty was still in New York, 
and that Uncle Harry had sailed away to 
joih him, they were amply protected by the 
big butler and his trusty aid, the gardener. 

“Isn’t it fine to have two big men here, 
while Father has to be away, and just now. 
Uncle Harry away, too?” said Dorothy as 
she ran down the stairway, followed by 
Nancy. 

“The butler is big, but John isn’t, well, 
not very/* Nancy replied, as she ran to join 
her on the lawn. 


152 


AT BETTY^S COTTAGE 


153 


“ Oi ’m not big, ye say ? Tbot may be, but 
the butler an^ me tergitber is tbot big tbot 
we’d not allow any quare persons ter land on 
tbis island, tbot we wouldn’t!” declared 
John, wbo bad beard wbat Nancy bad said. 

*‘Ob, we know you wouldn’t,” Dorothy 
hastened to say. Soon after breakfast, they 
stood on the little pier, looking toward Foam 
Ridge. The sun was shining, and, at that 
distance, the big hotel stood out boldly, the 
cottages appearing to huddle at its base. 

Antony bad been up at daylight, and bad 
given The Shell a thorough cleaning. He 
bad planned to take Dorothy and Nancy out 
for a long trip, but just as be was ready to 
push off, Betty ran toward him. 

‘‘Antony! Hi, Antony! Are yoiT going 
over to the Island?” she shouted. 

‘ ‘ That ’s just where I ’m going. Any mes- 
sage?” be asked. 


154 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 

*‘Yes, oh, yes,’’ she cried. “Tell Dorothy 
that I want her to come over with Nancy to 
spend the day with me. Ask them to come 
right back with you, Antony. Mother is 
away to-day, and I so want them.” 

“All right,” he shouted, “I’ll bring them 
back with me in double-quick time.” 

Betty’s request had changed his plans, but 
he showed not a sign of his disappointment. 
Betty had made the party delightful for him. 
She had been a loyal friend. 

“The girls will enjoy a day with Betty,” 
he said to himself, “and I can take them out 
any time.” 

Antony was always unselfish. 

As he approached the island, he shouted 
to them : 

“Hi, mates! Will you come aboard*?” 

“Aye, Aye!” they called, laughing. 

“I’m to take you over to spend the day 


AT BETTIES COTTAGE 


155 


with Miss Chase,” he said with mock dignity, 
to which Dorothy replied : 

‘‘Very well, Mr. Marx, I’ll tell Mother, 
and be back in a minute. ” 

“Oh, that’s too much. Call me Antony,” 
he called to her. 

Mrs. Dainty readily consented to Betty’s 
invitation, and Dorothy came racing back to 
the pier. 

“Come, Nancy,” she cried, “we can go.” 

“This way,” said Antony, “I’m your — 
what is it? Oh, I remember, gondolier, I’m 
your gondolier, and this is Venice. Father 
has often told me about spending a few days 
at Venice when he was a sailor.” 

“We have a large painting that shows the 
grand canal,” Dorothy said, “and the sails 
look lovely against the sky.” 

“If I go to Merrivale to visit J ack, I’d like 
to see that picture,” Antony said, “for of all 


156 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


the foreign places that Father has described, 
I believe I’ve always liked best his stories 
about Venice. Maybe it’s just because I’ve 
always been on the water, and I thought I’d 
feel at home paddling up and down their 
lagoons in a small boat, or floating around in 
a big gondola.” 

‘‘Oh, you must come to Merrivale,” Nancy 
said. 

“You say J ack invited you, but we all want 
you to come,” Dorothy added. 

“That settles it, then,” Antony said, “and 
I’ll surely come.” 

As they neared Foam Ridge, they saw 
Betty racing down to meet them. 

“When shall I come for you?” Antony 
asked. “I can’t come before five, because 
I’m working at the store, and they’re open 
until five.” 


AT BETTY’S COTTAGE 


157 


They had reached the pier, and Betty had 
heard Antony’s question. 

‘‘Mother said, ‘Keep them for dinner at 
six,’ and we’ll not be done dinner before 
seven,” Betty hastened to say. 

“But my mother said that we must be 
home by six,” Dorothy said, Nancy adding, 
‘ ‘ so we really must. ’ ’ 

“Well, I’ll have you ^most all day,” Betty 
said, and Antony promised to call for them 
as soon as he left the store. 

They spent the morning on the beach, and 
went over to the cottage for lunch. 

“This week has been full of all sorts of 
happenings,” Betty said, when, having en- 
joyed a fine lunch, they all sat swinging in 
the big red hammock on the porch. 

Betty sat between Dorothy and Nancy, 
and they plied her with questions. 


158 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘WeVe not heard any news,” Dorothy 
said. 

‘‘Not the least bit?” Betty asked. 

“Not a scrap,” declared Nancy. 

“Well, first of all, a tent appeared on the 
beach the first thing Monday morning, and a 
funny-looking fellow went up and down the 
beach, shouting for every one to hear: 

“ ‘Visit the wonderful Merry-go-round 
ter-night I Greatest fun in the worl’ fer ten 
cents I 

“ ‘Ride the gallopin’ bosses! 

“ ‘Ladies an’ gents, also boy or girl chil- 
drun, welcome at ten cents each! Same 
price fer all!’ 

“He shouted so loudly, I wonder you 
didn’t hear him over at Gem Island. Our 
maid went over to the tent with two wait- 
resses that she knew, and she rode around so 
many times that she became dizzy, and she 


AT BETTY'S COTTAGE 


159 


told Mother that it made her feel seasick.*^ 

‘‘ ‘Well, Nora, I think you must have had 
more than enough of that sort of pleasure,’ 
Mother said, but Nora said: 

“ ‘Oh, no, ma’m, if you please, ma’m, I’d 
like to go again to-night. I sorter likes the 
excitement, even if I do be seasick after- 
wards.’ ” 

How they did laugh at Nora’s idea of an 
evening’s pleasure. 

“Vera likes things that really aren’t — 
well, comfortable, or perhaps I mean cheer- 
ful,” Nancy said. 

Betty looked up in genuine surprise. 
“Why, Nancy Ferris!” she cried. “I 
thought Vera Vane the liveliest girl I ever 
met.” 

“She is,” Dorothy said quickly, “but I 
know what Nancy means. Vera likes to 
hear stories that scare her. She says she 


160 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


enjoys being made to listen to stories like 
that one about the ‘ghost ship.’ She thinks 
it exciting to sit with her hands just gripping 
the arms of her chair, and she says if her 
hair doesn’t stand on end, it feels as if it 
did.” 

“Flossie Barnet’s uncle was intending to 
drive ’way ’round the bend to the place 
where we see that white light that they call 
the ‘Ghost Ship,’ and find out what it is, but 
he had to go to the city on business, and we’re 
wild to have him come home, so we can know 
what it is.” 

“And every day we say we won’t look, and 
just as sure as night comes, we do look, and 
there it is.” 

“Well, he won’t have to drive over there, 
for everybody in Foam Ridge knows all 
about it now, and I’ll tell you this; if you 


AT BETTY^S COTTAGE 


161 


look out across the water to-night, you won’t 
see it,” Betty said, laughing. 

‘‘Oh, oh, oh,! Who found out? Who 
stopped it?” cried Dorothy. 

“And what was it?” questioned Nancy. 

“Oh, every one was talking about it, and 
one night some men hired a boat, and went 
over there just as brave as brave could be, 
and just as soon as they were near the shore 
they saw that it was a great, heavy, wooden 
frame, covered with strong cotton cloth. It 
set up on the shore, on strong stakes driven 
down into the sand. The frame was lashed 
to the stakes. Electric lights behind it left 
it bright for people here at Foam Ridge to 
see. At this distance, no one could see its 
shape, and because it was on ‘Pirate Bar,’ 
they called it a ghost ship. The man that 
lives over there has let people think so, and 


162 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


the boys say that he has taken in lots of 
money letting them land on the Bar, and 
showing them where he ‘guesses’ the pirates’ 
gold ma/y be hidden. He was horrid to take 
money that way, because he was just simply 
cheating,” Betty concluded, ‘‘but I guess he 
knows now that people are laughing at the 
way he tried to scare them.” 

‘‘Well, I’m glad I know about it,” Dorothy 
said, slowly, ‘‘for while I know there is no 
such thing as a ghost, or ghost-ship, I truly 
didn’t like to see that big, white thing show- 
ing out there across the water.” 

Betty had heard all about the capture of 
the two men on Gem Island, and she won- 
dered why neither Nancy nor Dorothy spoke 
of it. 

She thought it must have been exciting to 
have a happening like that. She believed 


AT BETTY^S COTTAGE 


163 


that Dorothy, who was timid, was trying not 
to think about. That must be the reason 
that she did not speak of it. 

Betty had just decided not to speak of it, 
when around the corner of the house ap- 
peared Susannah and Geraldine. 

‘^My! my! You two over here?” cried 
Susannah. “I wonder you weren’t afraid 
to leave the island. Weren’t you scared? 
I’d have policemen stationed at every three 
feet of the way around its shore, so I could 
feel safe. Did you hold your breath until 
they were captured ? ” 

Susannah had said it all in one breath. 

‘‘ ‘Every step of the way,’ Susannah!” 
cried Betty. “ ‘Every step/ ” she repeated. 
“I wonder if you think they walked over 
from the island.” 

Susannah made no reply to that, but tossed 


164 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


her head as if Betty question were absurd. 

“Were they big men, and did they look 
fierce?’’ she asked. 

“And were you scared?” Geraldine asked. 

“What do you mean?” Dorothy asked. 
“Are you trying to frighten us? Are you 
joking?” 

“Well, I guess it wasn’t much of a joke. 
Say, they meant to rob your house of all its 
fine things, and one of the maids says they 
were desperate men, and says if any one in 
your house had cried out, they’d have bound 
and gagged — ” 

“Susannah Searles! Stop this minute. 
Look at Dorothy, and see how you’ve 
frightened her, and Nancy is almost as pale. ” 

“But that’s an awful way to joke,” Nancy 
said, “and you know fright makes Dorothy 
almost sick.” 

“But Susannah’s not joking,” cried Geral- 


AT BETTY’S COTTAGE 


165 


dine, “and if you don’t know what happened 
on your island, you must have been sleeping 
soundly. My ! I don’t believe I could sleep 
with all that rumpus going on!” 

“Oh, Dorothy, Nancy! I wasn’t going to 
talk about it,” Betty said, “although I never 
dreamed but that you knew it. I thought 
you simply didn’t want to think about it, and 
that that was why you didn’t speak of it, so 
I thought I wouldn’t say a thing about it, 
but all Foam Ridge knows.” 

“But how could such a thing happen, and 
we never hear the least sound or even — ” 
Nancy turned. 

“Hello, girls!” cried a cheery voice, and 
Antony came running toward them. 

“Ask Antony, if you doubt what I told 
you! Ask him! He’ll tell you,” cried 
Susannah, “for he knows, if any one does.” 

“Ask what?” Antony said, laughing at 


166 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


her eagerness. ‘‘And who is to ask it?” 

“I was telling Dorothy and Nancy to ask 
you if it isn’t true that two thieves were 
caught sneaking around their house on Gem 
Island. They don’t believe it,” Susannah 
said defiantly. 

“It is true,” Antony said, in a low voice, 
“and I wish a few days had passed before 
you heard about it, but it is safe there now, 
for the two fellows are in jail, and no one else 
would attempt to annoy you for fear of being 
caught and landed in jail, as the others 
were.” 

“Well, you’re a funny boy,” cried Geral- 
dine. “Why don’t you tell them who 
caught them?” 

‘ ‘ The police jailed them, ’ ’ Antony said. 

“Well, I never saw a boy like you!” 
snapped Susannah. “Girls, it was Antony 
who really caught them. He was over on 


AT BETTY ^8 COTTAGE 


167 


your island, and lie overheard two fellows 
telling how they meant to keep out of sight 
until dusk, and then get nearer to the house, 
and when it was dark, watch until the lights 
in the windows were out, and then break in 
and take as much as they chose.’’ 

There was a moment’s silence, and then 
Dorothy ran to Antony, caught his hand, and 
looking earnestly up into his dark eyes she 
asked eagerly: 

‘‘Did you do that for us, Antony, did you 
Oh, you big, brave boy, you won’t tell me, 
but I do believe you did.” 

He looked down into the sweet, eager face, 
for a second, then, with awkward gentleness, 
he laid a hand on her shoulder as he said : 

“I’d do anything for you, Dorothy, but it 
really wasn’t much. The folks are making 
too much fuss about it.” 

‘ ‘ Tell me, Antony. Tell me about it, ’ ’ she 


168 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 

insisted, still clinging to his hand, her eager 
lips parted. 

‘‘There’s not much to tell,” he said, 
quietly, but Nancy added her plea to Dor- 
othy’s coaxing, and with heightened color in 
his tanned cheeks he said : 

“I was over on the island to deliver some 
goods that had been ordered from the store, 
and I threw myself down on the coarse grass 
at the base of the ledge to rest and cool off 
before rowing back. I heard voices around 
on the other side of the rock, and I soon 
found that they were planning a break at 
your house. First I was going to tell your 
gardener, or the butler, whichever one I saw 
first, and then I thought of a better way to 
catch them. I crept softly to my boat, and 
rowed back to Foam Ridge, and the first per- 
son I saw when I landed was big Tim Han- 
lon, the chief of police.” 


AT BETTY'S COTTAGE 


169 


“Yes, oh yes,’’ cried Dorothy. “And 
then, oh, tell it quicker than quick, Antony. 
I can’t wait to hear !” 

“Well, there’s not much more to tell,” 
Antony said, “for big Tim didn’t waste 
much time. We rowed back to Gem Island, 
and in just no time he had Pat Macy and 
Miles Seton handcuffed and in the boat, as 
sullen a looking pair as you ever saw, and as 
soon as we reached Foam Ridge, they were 
safely locked up.” 

“Antony, Antony! Father must know 
what you did, and I can’t wait till he is home 
again to tell him. Mother and Aunt Char- 
lotte shall know all about it to-night. 
Nancy and I will teU them at dinner, but 
I’ll write to Father, and send the letter off 
to-morrow. 

“What will he and Uncle Harry say?” 

“Oh, you mustn’t think so much of it,” 


170 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


cried Antony, ‘‘for I only did what any de- 
cent fellow would do.” 

“You sha’n’t talk like that, Antony,” 
Nancy said, “for you did a fine thing, and 
you didn^t stop to think it over. You did it 
at once, and we were lucky that you were on 
our island, for the gardener and butler, who 
were supposed to be guarding us hadn’t 
spied the two men that were just waiting 
their chance to break in, so if you hadn’t 
been there, they would have — oh, — I don’t 
like to think what those two thieves would 
have done.” 

“You don’t have to think about it,” said 
Geraldine, “for they are in safe keeping 


now. 


CHAPTER X 

ON THE PROMONTORY 

A ntony was to row them back to the 
island, and it was rather a quiet trio 
that took seats in The Shell. 

Dorothy and Nancy were thinking liow 
quick and clever Antony had been, and they 
were also thinking what had happened once 
might happen again, and one could not be 
sure that Antony would be on hand, at just 
the proper time, to save them. 

Antony, as he bent to the oars, was think- 
ing that the girls were making far too much 
of what he had done. 

Betty, Susannah, and Geraldine stood on 
the beach. 


171 


172 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“I’ll be over soon to see you,” Betty 
called. 

“Well, I haven’t been invited to Gem 
Island yet, but I’m going to invite myself. 
I’m coming over some day next week!^^ 
shouted Geraldine, “and Susannah is com- 
ing with me.” 

Dorothy nodded, and said something in 
reply, but the wind blew her message away 
from the shore. 

“I don’t know what she said, but I’m go- 
ing over there, and you’ll go with me,” said 
Geraldine, to which Susannah promptly re- 
plied : 

“You may be sure I will.” 

They were a strange pair, equally bold, 
and equally determined to go, uninvited, 
wherever they chose. They never paused to 
learn if they were welcome. They simply 
went to the house, where they decided to 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


173 


spend a day, and at once made themselves 
quite at home. 

When Antony reached the tiny pier at 
Gem Island, he helped Dorothy and Nancy 
up onto the landing, and then proceeded to 
turn his boat toward Foam Ridge. 

“Oh, Antony!’^ Dorothy cried, “I want 
you to go up to the house while I teU Mother 
all about what you did.’^ 

“I must hurry back,” he called, as he 
rowed away, “and indeed you mustn’t think 
so much of what I did. I was glad enough 
to have the chance to do something for you. 
So long!” and away The Shell sped over the 
water. 

Antony had caught a glimpse of some one 
on the porch, who he believed was Mr. 
Dainty, and he therefore took hasty depart- 
ure. He knew that if he remained Dorothy 


174 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


would tell what he had done, and that he 
would be praised and made much of, and 
that was exactly what he wished to escape. 

“Dorothy is simply ‘all right,’ she’s fine, 
and so is Nancy, but a fellow doesn’t want to 
be told how brave he was, or what a big thing 
he did,” he said to himself. 

A moment later he spoke again, softly, as 
if afraid that the waves might hear. 

“Not but that I ’preciate their good opin- 
ion of me, but the thing I did wasn’t big 
enough to make a fuss over.” 

Mr. Dainty and Uncle Harry took a very 
different view of the matter from that which 
Antony expressed, as Antony learned later. 

For a time, Dorothy and Nancy, when twi- 
light came, would find themselves looking 
toward shadows under the big shrubs, as if 
in fear of some one lurking there, or peering 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


175 


out across the water to learn if any un- 
known craft were approaching the Island, 
but soon they lost all fear, for when again 
Mr. Dainty and Ilhcle Harry left for a trip 
to the city, the gardener and butler were on 
guard, determined that no strangers should 
be able to land unseen. Boats leaving 
Foam Ridge were carefully inspected and 
their destination learned, and rough or 
doubtful characters found themselves un- 
able to hire craft at any price. 

‘‘Father will be here next week,” Dorothy 
said to Nancy, who sat beside her on the low 
cliff one sunny morning. 

“I heard what you said,” said Flossie, who 
was clambering up to a place beside them, 
“and I think Uncle Harry will come with 
him.” 

“We’ll all be glad to have them home 
again,” said Nancy. 


176 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘We^re to have rather a long day,” Dor- 
othy said. “I mean it will seem long, be- 
cause Mother and Aunt Charlotte are over 
at Foam Ridge.” 

know it,” cried Flossie, “and I know 
where they are, too. They’re where my 
mother is, and Aunt Vera, too, and that’s at a 
‘ Bazaar ’ in the hotel parlors. It ’s a Charity 
Bazaar, and it’s to help something, only I 
don’t know what.” 

“Where is little Elfin?” said Dorothy. 

“Oh, she’s there with Aunt Vera,” Flossie 
replied. “She’s dressed like Bo-peep, and 
the ladies are to buy tickets from her.” 

For a while they sat upon the great rock, 
talking, but the sun began to beat hotly down 
upon the cliff, and, scrambling down, they 
turned to stroll along the ])each. 

“Arabella wrote a letter to me,” Flossie 
said. “I’d almost forgotten to tell you 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


177 


about it, and that is queer, because I saw 
you two on the big rock and came over just 
purpose to show it to you. Some of it 
soimds so queer, I don’t know what it means. 
You read it out loud,” she said, as she took 
the letter from her pocket, and offered it to 
Nancy. 

Dorothy looked over Nancy’s shoulder, 
and little Flossie looked up at them. 

“Dear Flossie,” it began, a few labored 
remarks about the weather following. 

“It’s warmer this week than last week, be- 
cause last week was cooler than this week, 
but not much cooler than this week, because 
this week isn’t very hot anyway, and last 
week was only sort of — I guess I’ll begin to 
tell you what I started to write about, and 
it wasn’t the weather — ” 

“That first part I didn’t understand,” 
said Flossie, “for if she didn^t mean to write 


178 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


about the weather, why did she *? And if she 
did mean to write about the weather, why 
did she say she didn’t — and if — oh I’m get- 
ting all twisted up again — skip that part 
Nancy ’cause it makes me feel so horrid I 
truly can’t listen to it.” 

Dorothy and Nancy were laughing, and 
Flossie wondered why. 

Dear little Flossie considered the letter 
puzzling, rather than laughable. Arabella’s 
letters were usually puzzling. 

“I thought you might like to hear some 
news about the boys and girls at Merrivale. 
My cousin, that is, Leander, has always felt 
that he was awkward, and one day Patricia 
Levine said I was awkward, and I told 
Leander what she said. He sat still a while, 
and he didn ’t say a word. 

“After a while, I said, ‘Did you hear me 
when I told you what Patricia saidP 

“ ‘I heard you,’ he said, and I was think- 
ing. There’s a sign in a window down near 
the post-office that says: ‘Awkward people 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


179 


made graceful,’ and the name on the sign, in 
big, red letters, ‘Madam Gadzooke’ was the 
name, and Leander said he’d call there some 
day and find out how long it would take to 
make us real graceful, if we started right in, 
and how much it would cost. 

“Leander went after school, to the house 
where the sign was in the window, and a 
great big woman opened the door. She told 
Leander she charged five dollars a lesson, 
and he asked her how long the lessons were, 
and the big lady said: ‘That depends.’ 

“Leander said: ‘ There ’d be two of us, 
my cousin Arabella and I. Do you mean 
five dollars for us two?’ 

“ ‘Well, I guess not!^ the woman almost 
screamed. ‘It’s five dollars each, an’ as to 
how long it will take, I couldn’t tell.’ 

“ ‘I guess that’s rather higher than we’d 
want to pay,’ Leander said. 

“ ‘Well, I wouldn’t wonder if it ’ud be fer 
quite a spell ye’d need instructions, judg- 
ing from yer appearance, and if yer cousin 
is anything like you, land knows how long 
you’d have need of instructions.’ 

“Leander just asked her if she ever tried 
her instructions on herself, and she shut the 
door, and didn’t answer. Leander says he 
doesn’t see why that vexed her. 


180 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“He says he sees no harm in the question, 
and he says any one that saw her would 
surely have asked it. 

“Patricia asked Leander all about it, and 
when he told her, she said that while she 
didn’t really need the lessons, she thought 
she’d take one lesson just to see what it was 
like. That was some weeks ago, and Pa- 
tricia is still going to Madam Gadzooke. 

“She says the first time she went Madam 
said she was -fine, but just a little instruction 
would make her even finer, and she made the 
price ever so much less because — well, I’ve 
forgotten what the reason was, but Leander 
says there’s probably only one reason, and 
that is that Madam has learned that people 
will not pay so much. All the same, I do 
believe that Patricia goes there for some- 
thing else beside learning to be graceful. 
I’ve seen her coming out of that house three 
times this week, but when I ask her why she 
goes so often she only laughs, and says : 

“ ‘Don’t you wish you knew?’ 

“It is dull here at Merrivale, and I’ll be 
glad when you and Dorothy and Nancy are 
at home once more. Mollie Merton has been 
away visiting some cousins. She came home 
this morning. Reginald Dean, and his 
cousin, Katie Dean, are away, and they’ll 
not be home for three weeks. Aunt Matilda 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


181 


says I ought to enjoy such quiet days. She 
says she dreads to have those lively boys 
back in Merrivale. I don’t. Sometimes it 
is so still here that I’d be glad to have the 
boys shouting all day long! I wrote to you, 
Flossie, because I couldn’t think of any- 
thing else to do. 

“Your friend, 

“Arabella Correyville.” 

“That very last bit doesn’t sound very 
polite,” Flossie said, “but she couldn’t have 
meant it just the way it sounds when it is 
read.” 

Dear little Flossie. Always sure to find 
an excuse for errors that others made. 

They laughed as they talked of Leander, 
and the big woman whose window-sign had 
attracted him. 

“See the funny little path, just a little 
footpath in the grass!” Flossie said. “I 
noticed it when you were reading the letter, 
and now we’ve reached its beginning, let’s 
follow it and see where it will lead us. 


182 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Wouldn^t it be great if it showed the way 
to some part of this island that we have not 
yet seen?’^ 

“Indeed it would,” Nancy said, “because 
we think we’ve seen every bit of it.” 

“Who knows if there is, I mean just 
maybe, a new and lovely spot for us to see?” 
said Dorothy. 

“Come on!” cried Nancy, “we’ll be ex- 
plorers!” 

Along the little path they sped, through a 
bit of field, the land gradually rising, until 
they found themselves standing on a cliff 
that gave them a wonderful view of the 
ocean. 

“This is bigger, ever so much bigger, than 
the cliff near our house,” said Flossie. 

“Yes, and it stretches out farther from the 
island,” said Nancy. 

“Let’s sit down and watch for vessels. 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


183 


Vay out there where the sky and water 
meet. The first one who sees a sail say 

“This is a really, truly promontory,” said 
little Flossie, “and when I learned about a 
promontory in my geography, I never 
thought I’d be sitting on one this very 
s umm er. ’ ^ 

“Ay!” shouted Nancy, and then Dorothy 
“Ay, ay!” and little Flossie joined the 
chorus : 

“Ay, ay, ay!*^ she shrilled, for three sails 
were skimming along on the horizon line. 

“I guess we all saw them at the same 
time,” Dorothy said. 

They took turns telling stories, and the 
time fiew faster than they dreamed. The 
servants were not surprised when Dorothy 
and Nancy did not return at the lunch hour, 
for they often lunched with Flossie. 


184 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


At the same time, at Flossie’s house, it was 
believed that she was over at the other house 
with Dorothy and Nancy, so no anxiety was 
felt. 

Out on the little promontory, the three 
were sitting, warm in the sunlight, and each 
enjoying the stories told by the others. 

“I’m just beginning to be hungry,” said 
Flossie, “but I do want to hear the story of 
the ‘Three Scarlet Feathers,’ and you tell it 
so beautifully, Dorothy, that I almost hold 
my breath while I listen. Do tell it again, 
please,” she coaxed, to which Nancy added: 

“Yes, tell it, Dorothy.” 

It was an enchanting fairy tale, a long one, 
of which they never tired. The three little 
friends drew long breaths of delight at the 
story’s happy ending. Dorothy sprang to 
her feet. 

“I do believe it’s after lunch-time, but 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


185 


Sue will get something nice for us if we 
really are late, and come with us, Flossie. It 
will be pleasanter if we three are to- 
gether.’^ 

‘‘Why-eel I thought the tide was going 
out,” she cried, “and it’s coming in, and 
coming fast ! Hurry, hurry, or we ’U — oh ! ’ ’ 

Nancy and Flossie rushed to where Dor- 
orthy, terrified, stood staring down at the 
swirling, rushing waters that swept over the 
narrow strip of rock and sand that con- 
nected the cliff on which they stood, with 
the mainland. Flossie sank to her knees, 
crying with all her might, but Dorothy and 
Nancy were too frightened to cry. Back to 
where they had first sat looking out across 
the water, they ran at top speed, to learn if 
any boat were in sight, but only cloudless 
sky and glistening sea greeted them. 

Nancy slipped an arm around Dorothy. 


186 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Flossie, who had followed them, sank on the 
wiry grass. 

“Look Vay out there !^’ Nancy said point- 
ing. “Don’t you almost think you see a 
sail?” 

Dorothy longed to say “yes,” but try as 
she would, she could not see anything but a 
vast expanse of sky and sea. 

“If any one was at home, we’d have been 
missed before this, and some one would have 
come for us,” said Dorothy, “and Nancy, 
I ’m so frightened. ’ ’ 

Nancy ’s arm tightened about her. “ We ’ll 
have to stay here until the tide goes out, no 
matter how long that is,” she said. 

At that moment a thought came into 
Nancy’s mind, and Dorothy must have had 
a similar thought, for as Nancy turned to 
look at her, she said : 



“ Don’t you AL^{OST think you see a sail? ” — Page 186, 



ON THE PROMONTORY 


187 


‘‘Do you suppose the water ever really 
covers this place we’re standing on? Oh, 
if it does, if it ever does, a boat must come 
quick, or — ” 

“Hush, oh hush!” cried Nancy, “let’s just 
keep looking, for — oh, it must be a boat will 
pass.” 

Sure enough, a boat did indeed pass, and 
very swiftly, too, but no one on board 
chanced to look up at the cliff, and the boom- 
ing of the waves as they dashed against the 
rocks drowned the sound of their voices so 
that no one heard their shouts. 

“Our voices aren’t strong enough for us 
to make ourselves heard, even when a pass- 
ing boat is near the cliff,” wailed Dorothy, 
“and oh, Nancy, Nancy! Each wave that 
now comes in rolls higher than the one be- 
fore!” 


188 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


There was a sob that she could not re- 
strain, and little Flossie, crouching on the 
grass behind them, echoed the sob. 

Nancy stood firmly erect, her arm around 
Dorothy. She knew that she must be brave. 
That the fear that made her shiver must not 
make her cry. 

Flossie was softly crying, and Dorothy 
shivered with terror, and clung to Nancy’s 
arm. 

Nancy’s lips moved in a little prayer that 
she might not give way to tears and that 
help might soon arrive, or at least soon 
enough to save them. They had forgotten 
that they were hungry. Their one longing 
was that they might be rescued before those 
inrushing waves should engulf the bit of 
land on which they stood. 

Flossie still crouched upon the wiry grass. 
Dorothy, with Nancy’s fond arms about her, 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


189 


stood watching, hoping that help might come 
soon, but with the passing moments, the 
waves seemed as if gaining both force and 
speed, and now, at times a bit of spray was 
tossed aloft, and bright drops clung to their 
clothing. 

“Help must come soon,’’ whispered 
Dorothy. 

“Oh, surely,” murmured Nancy, drawing 
her closer. Flossie said never a word, nor 
did she look toward the open sea. It fright- 
ened her to see the great waves drawing 
ever nearer, and when they broke against the 
cliff, she closed her eyes, and a faint cry 
burst from her lips. Sails passed along on 
the horizon, too far away to give them any 
cheer, but not a vessel passed near them. 

Suddenly the chug! chug! of a launch 
startled the three anxious children, as it came 
puffing around the island just below where 


190 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


they stood, but no one was on deck but the 
man at the wheel, and be, keeping bis eyes 
on bis course, did not see them, while the 
clatter of bis noisy little craff prevented bis 
bearing their cries. 

It seemed the last straw that after wait- 
ing so long for a passing craft, the launch 
should appear, and speed briskly past the 
spot where they were standing, its owner not 
so much as glancing toward them. Dorothy 
and Nancy clasped in each other’s arms, 
were sobbing. 

Nancy’s hat blew off, and dropped to the 
waves, where it bobbed and floated like a 
little boat; she took no notice of that, not 
even looking after it. 

“Hi! I say, hi, up there!” cried a well- 
known voice, and the three little friends 
crept to the edge of the cliff, where, in his 
boat, Antony sat looking up at them, and 


ON THE PROMONTORY 


191 


holding up Nancy’s hat that he had res- 
cued from the crest of the foaming waves. 

‘^Oh, Antony, take us away from this 
place,” cried Dorothy. 

‘‘Sure!” cried Antony, “and in less than 
no time, but not in The Shell/* 

“Oh, please, Antony, hurry before the 
waves wash us off from this land!” Nancy 
wailed. 

“But you can’t jump from that rock into 
this boat without overturning it,” Antony 
said, “but the tide is turning now, and before 
long you can walk over the piece of rock and 
sand that you went over when you reached 
the place where you now are. I’ll beach my 
boat over there in that little bay, and soon 
the rocks will show through the water. 
Then I’ll come over there and guide you 
girls over the wet rocks to dry land. 
You’ve only a bit longer to wait.” 


CHAPTER XI 


PLAYING “giant” 

W HEN at last the tide had so far re- 
ceded that, with Antony’s aid, they 
scrambled over the wet rocks to the dry land, 
they laughed, yes, laughed and sang 
snatches of song, so great was their relief 
from the strain and terror of the long wait- 
ing for help to come. 

“And to think, Antony, if you hadn’t 
come when you did — and that awful tide had 
swept us right off into the seal” said 
Dorothy. 

“But, Dorothy, the tide has never risen 
high enough to cover that bit of cliff where 
you girls were standing. My father will tell 
you that. Only that narrow strip of rock 

192 


PLAYING *^G1ANT^^ 


193 


and sand is under water, even in rough, 
stormy weather. I wish you had known 
that, Dorothy, for you look as if the waiting 
and terror had shaken you.’^ 

The earnest look in the boy’s dark eyes 
showed genuine concern, and the soft color 
that had left Dorothy’s cheeks rushed back 
and flushed them pink. 

^‘You’re such a good friend, Antony,” she 
said, ^‘and you’ve done so many things to 
help us, I don’t know how to thank you.” 

“You don’t need to,” Antony said, “for 
I’ve been glad enough to be of some use, and 
’specially when you girls have been in real 
danger, or only just frightened.” 

“Antony never laughs at us when we’re 
frightened,” Nancy said, a gratifled look in 
her eyes. 

Antony was full of fun, but he never 
teased girls. 


194 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“My father says it’s not manly to tease 
girls. He says it’s small, and mean, and I’d 
not care to be either small or mean,” Antony 
said. 

“You never are,” said little Flossie, “and 
I do think ever and ever so much of you, 
and even little Elfin says, ‘Antony nice 
boy.’ ” 

“She’s a cute baby,” said Antony, “and 
I found some odd little shells the other day, 
and put them in a box for her, but I’ve for- 
gotten them whenever I rowed over to the 
island. I’m coming over to-night at about 
five o’clock, and I’ll bring them for her.” 

Now that they were safe, they began to 
feel hungry, and eagerly they begged An- 
tony to stay for lunch, but that could not 
be, as he was on his way back with orders 
for the store, when Nancy’s floating hat had 
been a signal for him to stop and give aid. 


PLAYING ^‘GIANT^^ 


195 


They waved to him as he rowed away, and 
then turned toward home. As they came in 
sight of the house, they saw the gardener 
running toward them. 

‘^Oh, now, me foine little ladies! Is it 
yersilves, er yer shpooks as is coomin’ to- 
ward me? Be ye real colleens that Oi’m 
seein’, er will ye vanish if Oi tech ye? Oh, 
sure we’d tought ye losht, shtrayed, or 
shtolen!” 

“It’s us, John, just us/^ cried Flossie, 
“and we’ve been so scared.” 

“Sheared, is it? Faith an’ it’s us as has 
been sheared. The folks away, an’ us sup- 
posed ter kape an oye on yez, an’ ye go an’ 
vanish loike, an’ not a shcrap av ye kin we 
foind. Sure we’re all woild, an’ the maid. 
Sue, is sure out av her moind wid the idee 
that the tree av yez hov been kidnapped. 
Yis, an’ — ah, here she comes now lookin’ 


196 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


loike a woild crature, thot she does. Will, 
glory be ! They ’re safe, Sue, ’ ’ he cried, ‘ ‘ an ’ 
we kin now thry ter collect our scathered 
wits.’’ 

“Oh, you blessed dears, come here and tell 
me where you’ve been? Where on this 
island did you get lunch? You’ve not been 
seen at either house, and it’s almost four 
o’clock.” 

“We’ve not had the least thing to eat,” 
said Dorothy. 

“And we’U eat anything, only we can’t 
wait for it,” said Nancy. 

“’Cause we’re almost starved!” added 
Flossie, “and we could tell you all about it 
better if we weren’t so hungry.” 

“Well, I’ll hustle,” said Sue, “but when 
you’ve eaten. I’ll not wait long to know 
where you’ve been.” 

It was astonishing to see biscuits, cold 


PLAYING ‘^GIANT^^ 


197 


meat, cake, and hot chocolate disappear, and 
Sue refrained from asking any questions 
until their hunger was satisfied, hut when the 
lunch was over she questioned them. 

‘‘My, what a happening!” she exclaimed, 
when Dorothy had told of their long walk, of 
the sunlight on the cliff, where they had 
taken turns telling fairy tales, of their 
watching for a vessel, and then of Antony’s 
coming to their aid. 

“And Antony couldn’t have heard us over 
the booming of the waves. It was Nancy’s 
hat that signaled him,” said Dorothy. 

Of course the story had to be re-told when 
the others of the household returned, and for 
days afterward little Elfin, after listening to 
her favorite stories would ask : 

“Now tell ’bout bein’ ’way, ’way out where 
the water kept cornin’ near, and suffin’ awful 
almost happened,” 


198 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


It was nearly a week later when one morn- 
ing Nancy espied a launch coming from 
Foam Ridge, and making a very crooked 
course toward Gem Island. 

She called Dorothy, who was playing with 
little Fluff. 

They threw themselves upon the grass, 
and for a time watched the launch, which 
evidently was headed for the island, but 
having much difficulty in reaching it. 

Its course resembled the antics of a gay 
dragon-fly. 

For a few moments it would move straight 
ahead, then it would veer sharply to the 
right, then as quickly to the left, next it 
would back, then race forward. 

Once it appeared to stop, then swiftly push 
forward. 

“Did you ever see a launch behave like 
that?’’ Nancy said, and at that moment 


PLAYING ^^GIANT*^ 


199 


Dorothy laid her hand on Nancy’s shoulder. 

‘^Do you suppose that’s Susannah?” she 
asked. 

“I wonder if it is,” Nancy said, slowly. 
Fluff pushed in between them, as eager as 
they to learn who the approaching visitors 
might be. 

After making a zigzag course, during 
which the little craft stopped several times, 
turned toward the right and then toward the 
left, then with a loud “Chug! Chug! Chug!” 
it bolted forward and finally reached the lit- 
tle pier, backed away, approached sputter- 
ing, and then stopped. 

No question now as to who had arrived, 
for Geraldine, Susannah, and Betty Chase 
were racing toward them. 

“We started early so as to have the whole 
day on this island,” said Geraldine, “and 
really, it’s prettier than I thought.” 


200 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


‘‘It is lovely here,’’ said Betty, “and 
worth all the terror of trying to reach the 
island. Eeally, I wondered if we were going 
to stop when we were half-way here.” 

“Oh, the launch acted a bit queer, but that 
only made the trip more fun,” said Geral- 
dine. “I could have told Susannah how to 
steer straight, but I didn’t.” 

“Why didn’t you?” Susannah asked. 

“I wonder why you kept so still, if all the 
time you knew how to run it.” 

“Oh, you enjoyed having it go every way 
but straight, so I didn’t say anything,” Ger- 
aldine said bluntly. 

“Well, I know one thing,” Susannah re- 
plied coolly, “and that is that by going zig- 
zag, I gave you a longer boat-ride than if I’d 
just come over here straight from Foam 
Kidge.” 

“That’s true enough,” cried Betty, “and 


PLAYING ^^GIANT” 


201 


the other thing that is true is that we’re 
actually here.” 

She laughed, and drew a long breath. It 
wias good to have reached the island safely. 

The stiff breeze snatched at her wide- 
brimmed hat, and as she turned Betty 
noticed that Susannah was frowning, while 
Geraldine looked far from pleasant. Nancy 
also saw it, and she hastened to tell about a 
book that Mr. Dainty had recently bought 
for Dorothy, but changing the subject did 
not drive away the sullen frowns from the 
faces of the two guests. 

Fluff sat beside Dorothy on the coarse 
grass, and watched Geraldine and Susannah. 

He was a great pet, and usually made 
friends of any new arrivals at the island, but 
when Geraldine reached a hand to pat him, 
he backed away. 

‘‘What makes him act like that?” she 


202 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


cried. “I only wanted just to pat him.” 

She had reached out roughly toward him, 
and Fluff was used to gentleness. The visit 
was not beginning pleasantly, and Dorothy 
felt that something must be done. 

‘^We have a fine place to play ball,” she 
said. ‘ ‘ Let ’s have a game. ’ ’ 

Betty agreed, and Geraldine and Susan- 
nah looked a bit pleased as they followed 
Dorothy and Nancy. 

It proved to be a lively game, for all were 
good players, and Fluff barked with delight 
as he raced from one to the other, chasing 
the fiying ball. 

They played until lunch-time. 

Mrs. Dainty made them feel warmly wel- 
come, and with Aunt Charlotte “took turns” 
telling of good times that they had enjoyed 
when they were little girls. After lunch 
they walked across the long gallery that 


PLAYING “GIANT^^ 


203 


joined the two houses, and called for Flossie 
Barnet. Flossie gladly joined them. 

^‘Now let’s play something that’s worth 
while,” Susannah cried, rudely, as if thus 
far she had found the visit dull. 

“We’ll let you choose the game,” Dorothy 
said, quietly. 

She thought Susannah hard to please, and 
that if she were allowed to choose the game, 
she surely would be satisfied. 

“I hope you won’t choose one that you and 
I have been playing for weeks,” said Ger- 
aldine. 

“I choose a new game, one I’ve just 
thought of, and it will be fun, great fun!” 
declared Susannah. 

“I call it, ‘The Giant,’ and Fll be the 
giant!” 

“Good gracious! What a game!” cried 
Geraldine. 


204 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“‘What a game!’^’ Susannah cried 
angrily. 

“Why do you say that, when you don’t yet 
know how it is played?” 

Geraldine could think of no reply, so 
Susannah began to explain the game that 
she claimed to have invented. 

It proved to be much like a very old game 
that they all had played, but neither said so, 

“There’s a place I saw when we were com- 
ing from the pier this morning,” said 
Susannah, “and it is a fine place for us to 
play this game. There’s a clump of bushes 
that are quite high, and the lower branches 
bend over so that it looks shadowy in under 
there. That will be my cave, and I’ll sit 
in under there, and try to catch you when 
you pass. Come on ! I can hardly wait to 
play it, it will be such fun.” 

Dorothy and Nancy knew that Susan- 


PLAYING ^‘GIANT^^ 


205 


nah could snatch at them roughly, but 
little Flossie, never having played with 
her, had no idea of what Susannah ^s hands 
could do. She ventured a bit too near, and 
Susannah’s first snatch at her muslin dress 
tore a long piece of the lace from the edge 
of the ruffle. Dorothy’s light frock fared 
the same, while Nancy’s pump was wrenched 
from her foot. 

“Who cares for a few tears in our 
clothes,” cried Geraldine, in her usual boast- 
ing way. “This really is my best dress,” 
she continued, “but who is afraid of tearing 
it. I can have plenty more.” 

“And now,” cried Susannah, springing 
out from under the bushes, “we’ll play the 
rest of the game. At first I thought I’d pull 
you into my cave and make believe eat you, 
but I’ve changed my mind. I’ll take you 
all out in the launch, and just make believe 


206 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


push you overboard. Why, how funny you 
look! Of course I wouldn’t truly do it. I 
only mean just play I did.” 

‘^But I wouldn’t want even to play that,” 
Dorothy said. 

“Well, I wonder if you’re afraid to play 
the rest of the game?” said Susannah. 

“I am, Susannah,” said Flossie, “and I 
don’t care how much you laugh.” 

“Come, Geraldine,” cried Susannah, her 
cheeks an angry red, and her eyes flashing, 
“we may as well go home. It’s awfully dull 
here.” 

“I don’t want to go back with you, Susan- 
nah,” said Geraldine. 

“Well, what an idea!” Susannah fairly 
screamed. “Even you, Geraldine, are a 
‘fraidie cat’!” 

“I know we came near not reaching here 


PLAYING *^GIANT’^ 


207 


this morning,” Geraldine said, “and I’ll not 
venture out in that launch again unless your 
father is running it.” 

“You’re wise, Geraldine,” said Betty 
Chase, as she tried to pin her belt in place. 
Susannah had torn it half off from the skirt. 

“How will you go back to Foam Kidge?” 
Susannah asked. 

“There’s the answer to your question,” 
said Betty, and she laughed as she pointed to 
Antony, who was rowing toward the little 
bay where he usually moored his boat. 

Susannah turned her head. 

“Oh, well, if you and Geraldine prefer his 
boat and his company. I’ll not urge you to 
go back on the launch,” she said, and then 
she ran at top speed to the little pier, was 
aboard the launch, and off before Antony 
had beached his boat. Oddly enough, the 


208 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


launch kept a straight course for about half 
the distance to Foam Ridge. Then those 
upon the pier saw it stop. 

^‘That’s just the way it acted this morning 
when we were coming here,” said Betty. 
“It would go along smoothly for a time, and 
then it would stop, and then go on again.” 

“With the difference this time, that it isn’t 
going to start!” Nancy said. 

‘ ‘ Oh, look ! ’ ’ cried Dorothy. “It’s just as 
Nancy said, and what is Susannah trying to 
do?” 

> Susannah was standing, and then, as they 
watched, they saw her climb to the roof of the 
tiny cabin, wildly waving her arms. Antony 
turned The Shell, and rowed back toward 
the launch. 

The little friends at Gem Island watched, 
and soon they saw Antony’s boat alongside 
the launch. 


PLAYING ‘^GIANT^^ 


209 


They saw Susannah stamp her foot, and 
then, a second after. The Shell was flying 
over the waves toward the mainland. 

“Antony has gone to get help,” said 
Dorothy, “and oh, I am so glad you girls 
reached here safely this morning.” 

“We’re glad, too,” said Betty, “but what 
are we to do if Antony doesn’t come over 
here?” 

“That’s easy enough to answer,” said 
Geraldine, “we’ll stay here all night.” 

“You surely will,” agreed Dorothy and 
Nancy, as if with one voice, delighted with 
the thought of prolonging Betty’s visit, even 
though Geraldine must also be a guest. 


CHAPTER XII 


AT THE GIFT SHOP 

A LITTLE later, when Antony reached 
the Island, he was closely questioned 
as to what had happened to the launch, and 
he laughed as he answered their queries. 

‘^You should have seen Susannah!’^ he 
cried, “for she was scared, and not afraid to 
show it. Did you see her up on the roof of 
the little cabin? She was trying to signal 
to some one, with no one in sight! Could 
you beat that ? 

“I saw her the moment I got well on my 
way to this island, and I rowed alongside. 

“She said she could not make the launch 
stir, so I went back to Foam Ridge, and the 

first person I met was Mr. Searles. 

210 


AT TEE GIFT SHOP 


211 


“Say, girls! He was the maddest man I 
ever saw. 

“It seems that he had told Susannah never 
to go out in that launch unless he or Saxon 
were with her. Saxon can run that launch 
as well as he runs their car. 

“Mr. Searles chartered a tug-boat, and 
old Captain Binder says he’s sure Susannah 
couldn’t help understanding what the scold- 
ing meant that her father gave her, because 
he made it so 'tur'hle plain.’ ” 

Antony took the girls back to Foam Ridge 
in The Shell. 

Betty was glad to go because she knew that 
to remain at the Island meant anxiety for 
her dear ones at the cottage, but Geraldine, 
who had invited herself to remain over night, 
greatly regretted Antony’s return. 

It would have been delightful to her to 
remain on the Island all night, and return 


212 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


the next morning to find her aunt completely 
upset with excitement, and even the servants, 
who were not very fond of her, somewhat 
frightened. 

Mr. Dainty and Uncle Harry had returned 
to the Island, and every one, accordingly, felt 
very safe and happy. Nancy, searching for 
Dorothy, found her standing on the bluff and 
looking out over the sea while the fresh 
breeze tossed her bright hair and twitched 
the broad brim of her hat. She seemed very 
much absorbed. 

‘‘A penny to know what you’re thinking 
of,” cried Nancy. 

“I’m just standing here, looking out over 
the water, and everything looks bright and 
beautiful,” Dorothy said, “but through the 
sunny haze out there I seem to see the great 
garden at the stone house, the fountains, the 


AT TEE GIFT SHOP 


213 


flowers, and the shady places where we 
play.” 

Nancy looked at her thoughtfully. 

‘‘Are you beginning to long for home?” 
she asked. 

‘ ‘ Oh, no, ’ ’ Dorothy said, with a laugh. ‘ ‘ It 
is too lovely here for that, but it is a happy 
thought that keeps flitting through my mind. 

“It is that while we enjoy being here on 
this flne little island, we’ve a lovely home to 
go to, and pleasant friends besides.” 

Little Fluff looked out across the waves, 
then up at Dorothy as if he wondered what 
they were talking about. 

They did not hear soft footsteps behind 
them, so Elfln startled them when she spoke. 

“He won’t keep step with me!” she said, 
pointing to Fluff. “He don’t even try to.” 

“Oh, you cunning baby!” said Dorothy. 
“Why don’t you keep step with him?” 


214 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


Could I?” Elfin asked soberly. 

“Let’s see you try,” Nancy said, laughing, 
as she placed Fluff beside the tiny girl. 

Fluff, not at all sure as to what was ex- 
pected of him, took a few steps forward. 
Elfin did the same. 

Then, sure that there was some joke about 
it, he darted off at top speed, barking as he 
went. 

“How tould any one keep up wiv him?” 
cried Elfin, in disgust. 

“He don’t wait a minute.” 

A maid, who had followed her, took her by 
the hand, saying as she turned toward the 
house : 

“It’s like the wee dog she would be walk- 
ing now, and but an hour ago it was a gull 
she would he. 

“Sure, didn’t I find her flapping her arms 


AT TEE GIFT SHOP 


215 


up and down, and wondering why she 
couldn ’t fly ? Sure she keeps me busy. ’ ’ 

Elfln looked back, laughing. 

“I’m not a gull now,” she cried, “I’m just 
me, ’at ’sail.” 

Dorothy and Nancy were still looking out 
across the sea when a cheery voice hailed 
them: 

“Hey, little mates! Will you come for a 
cruise with me?” 

Flossie clung to his hand, and she now ran 
ahead to urge the invitation that Uncle 
Harry had given. 

“Indeed we will,” was the eager response, 
Dorothy adding : 

“We’ll be ready just as soon as we can get 
our sweaters, and change these big sailor 
hats for ‘tarns’ that will stay on.” 

It proved quite a cruise on which he took 


216 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


them, far out beyond Pirate Bar, and out to 
where they could see a lighthouse that they 
had never seen from Gem Island. 

“It is not long before we shall he hack in 
Merrivale,” said Uncle Harry, “and we all 
love our homes there, but once in a while we 
shall think of the lovely little island and I 
think we shall long for the salt sea air.’’ 

“And we’ll talk over the happenings 
here,” Dorothy said. 

“Yes, and we’ll often think how the stories 
about ‘Pirate Bar’ frightened us until after- 
ward, when we found it was all a hoax.” 

“Mollie Merton will be glad to see us,” 
Nancy said, “and the first thing she will say 
will he : 

“ ‘Now tell me every bit of Gem Island 
news.’ ” 

“And we’ll tell her all about the happen- 
ings,” said Flossie. 


AT THE GIFT SHOP 


217 


“Indeed we will/’ Nancy agreed. 

“I’m glad we are to be at the stone house 
long before it is really autumn,” Dorothy 
said, “because we have time to enjoy the 
flowers while they are still lovely and un- 
touched by the frost.” 

“And we shall have weeks and weeks to 
drive the pony, Romeo, before it is cold 
enough to get out the pretty sleigh,” she 
added, “but isn’t it hard to say where we 
are happiest, when it is so lovely on Gem Is- 
land, and so dear at home?” 

“I like to be anywhere where you are, 
Dorothy,” Nancy said, softly. 

“I know it,” Dorothy whispered. 

Flossie now returned to her seat beside 
them. 

“I’ve been asking Uncle Harry how long 
he intends to be ashore at Foam Ridge be- 
fore taking us back to Gem Island, and he 


218 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


says we can have a whole hour to ‘go shop- 
ping/ 

“Let’s get some pretty things to take home 
to the girls at Merrivale for souvenirs,” said 
Nancy. 

“That will be fine, and an hour will give us 
plenty of time to choose carefully,” Dorothy 
said. 

There was one store that the little friends 
dearly loved to visit, and they felt sure that 
there they could find the very gifts they 
wished. 

Uncle Harry smiled as he listened while 
they chattered as to just what would be the 
best gift for each of their plajmates. 

A quaint little man kept the “Gift 
Shop,” and he especially enjoyed his little 
customers. 

When, after a long cruise, they reached 
the pier at Foam Ridge, they raced toward 


AT THE GIFT SHOP 


219 


the shop, as if they thought it might vanish 
if they did not hasten. 

^‘Oh — 0-0 ! Just see this little box all 
made of teenty shells! I’ll get that for 
Mollie Merton. I know she’ll like it!” 
cried Flossie. 

“Is there another like it?” Dorothy asked 
eagerly. “I’d so like to have it.” 

The little man searched his shelves. 
“Yes, little Miss, here is one exactly like it,” 
he said as he set it on the counter. 

Dorothy’s eyes shone with delight. “I’d 
like this little round box that has a wee velvet 
pincushion on the top. I know some one 
who would surely like that,” Dorothy said. 

“Oh, that is a pretty gift,” said Flossie. 
“Who is that for?” 

“For Arabella,” Dorothy said. 

“That’s right, Dorothy,” Uncle Harry 
said as he joined them. “Arabella is odd 


220 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


sometimes, but she is really trying now to be 
more kindly, and I think she will be so de- 
lighted with your little gift that she will 
really show that she is pleased.” 

Nancy chose a lovely shell with rose and 
pale green tints in its pearly surface. It 
was mounted on a slender gilt standard, and 
Katie Dean would surely find it useful as a 
pin-tray on her bureau. 

The boys were not forgotten. 

Fine little paper-cutters carved from shell 
made useful gifts, and Reginald Dean, Jack 
Tiverton, and Leander Correyville were sure 
to like them. Uncle Harry said. 

The hour for shopping had fiown on wings, 
and they hurried along the beach toward the 
pier, chatting of the gifts that they had 
chosen. 

That night after dinner, they were all sit- 
ting before the great fireplace where a log- 


AT THE GIFT SHOP 


221 


fire blazed and crackled, sending a thousand 
glittering sparks up the chimney. They 
were talking again of the souvenirs that they 
had chosen at the gift shop. 

There was a pause, and then Dorothy 
spoke. 

‘‘Antony is always seeing the sort of things 
that we have bought. Our friends at Merri- 
vale will like them, but he wouldn’t care for 
them, and yet I can ’t help wishing that I had 
a nice gift for him, he has been so kind to us, 
and there’s one hig, brave thing that he did 
for us. 

“Oh, I do truly wish we had a gift for 
him.” 

“I think as you do, Dorothy,” Mr. Dainty 
said, “and I have chosen a gift for Antony 
that I believe he will value.” 

He left the room, returning in a few mo- 
ments with a small package. 


222 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“Come, Dorothy, come, all, and see if you 
think I have chosen Tvisely.” 

He opened a fine leather case displaying a 
handsome watch of which any lad might be 
proud. Inside the watch-case was engraved 
Antony’s name, and the date, and this senti- 
ment: 

“This watch is presented as a mark of my 
esteem. 

“RUDOLPH DAINTY.” 

“Oh, won’t he be delighted?” cried 
Dorothy. 

“And think of his surprise,” said Nancy, 
“for Antony never expects any reward for 
what he does. He just does things because 
he likes to be obliging. ’ ’ 

“And once he was very brave,” said Mr. 
Dainty, “and it is in recognition of his in- 


AT THE GIFT SHOP 


223 


valuable service on that special occasion that 
I present my gift to him. 

“I’ve waited until I felt that I knew what 
Antony would like best to have. His father 
makes a comfortable living, and the boy is 
well cared for and well dressed. It was 
hard to learn his wishes, because the lad sel- 
dom expresses a desire for anything, seem- 
ing always content with what he already 
has. A few days ago, I knew what my gift 
to him would be. 

“I was on the pier at Foam Ridge, An- 
tony beside me. When I took out my watch 
to learn the time, the boy’s big, black eyes 
sparkled. 

‘ ‘ ‘ One of the first things I ’ll buy when I ’m 
a man, ’ he said, softly, and a world of eager- 
ness was in the words, and I knew what my 
gift would be.” 

“It’s a fine gift,” Aunt Charlotte said. 


224 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


“I can almost see his twinkling eyes as 
they will look when he sees it,” Mrs. Dainty 
said. “But, Rudolph, what about a chain? 
Not too large a chain, but one that would 
look right for a boy to wear. ’ ’ 

“That is my part,” said a cheery voice, 
and Uncle Harry came in to join the group 
before the fire. 

“Oh, please let us see it,” said Dorothy. 
“It is so sweet to know about gifts that are 
to make other folks happy.” 

“Dear little Dorothy,” Uncle Harry said, 
drawing her closer, while from his pocket he 
produced a little package which proved to he 
just the right sort of chain for the watch. 
After the watch and chain had been duly 
inspected, and admired, Nancy said : 

“I bought one gift to-day, and I was 
puzzled what to choose. 

“It’s easy to guess what the girls and boys 


AT TEE GIFT SHOP 


225 


will like, but this was for some one else, and 
— well, it’s for Mrs. Armitage, the dear old 
lady who loaned us costumes for our 
pageant, and gave one to me. I do wish 
you’d say if you think she would like this.” 

Nancy had chosen a ribbon book-mark 
with tiny pearl shells on its ends. 

“She is always reading,” Nancy said, 
“and these two long ribbons joined with a 
shell will keep two places in a book. She 
told me she often lost her place when she had 
been reading, and laid the book aside.” 

“Why, Nancy, dear, that is a very nice 
gift, ’ ’ Aunt Charlotte said. * ‘ I am glad you 
remembered her. She will be so pleased. ’ ’ 

The wind was rising, and around the cor- 
ner of the house it loudly whistled. 

“You look as if your thoughts were 
weighty,” Uncle Harry said, as he turned 
toward Dorothy. “Say, dear, would you 


226 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


tell them to a solemn person like Uncle H?” 

“Oh, you are never, never, solemn,” she 
said, “and I’ll tell you because you couldn’t 
guess them if you tried. I was thinking of 
the gardens at Merrivale, and wondering if 
the flowers were blowing in the wind, and if 
the breeze whistled as loudly around the cor- 
ners of the Stone House as it is whistling 
here.” 

“Longing for home?” he asked. 

“Not really longing,” Dorothy said, 
slowdy. “When we go to a fine summer 
place, I enjoy every minute of the time that 
we are there, and L hardly think of home un- 
til it is nearly time to go, and then, instead 
of fretting because we are soon to leave the 
summer place, I begin to think of all the 
pleasant things that we’ll enjoy at home.” 

“That’s right, dear,” Uncle Harry said, 
“and it is right, because it means that you 


AT THE GIFT SHOP 


227 


intend to be content, wherever you may be.” 

Uncle Harry rose, and walked over to the 
piano. 

“I was about to ask for a song,” Mrs. 
Dainty said. 

“And you shall have it,” said Uncle 
Harry, “and it shall be one that will blend 
well with what Dorothy has been saying, for 
it breathes of content.” 

He played a short prelude, and then gayly 
he sang: 


“Fling care to the winds! 

This is no time for sorrow. 

The bright sun may bring us 
A fair day to-morrow. 

If the day chance be dull, 

Only churls would be grieving. 
Let merry thoughts in, and 
Dull care will be leaving. 

“Warm the heart of another 
With wee bit of kindness. 
Stretch a hand toward a brother. 
Don’t simulate blindness! 


228 DOROTHY AT GEM ISLAND 


you’ll be glad when you’ve helped him, 

Aye, glad past believing. 

There’ll be joy in your heart, 

And dull care will be leaving.” 

^‘Sing it again! Sing it again!” they 
cried, and he laughed as he granted their 
eager request. 

There would be a few more days at lovely 
Gem Island, and then they would return to 
Merrivale, to the Stone House with its great 
gardens, its flowers and the fountains that 
seemed always at play. Already they were 
looking forward to the glad days ahead. 

Those who would like to follow Dorothy 
and Nancy to the Stone House, to enjoy their 
pleasures, to read of the exciting happenings 
at Merrivale, of dear little Flossie, of Uncle 
Harry’s fun, and of the hidden cave that 
Jack Tiverton found, may find all these 
things, and many more in ‘‘Dorothy 
Dainty’s Eed Letter Days.” 


THE DOROTHY DAINTY SERIES 

By AMY BROOKS 

Larc^ 12nio Cloth Illustrated by the Author 
Price, Net, $1.35 each 



Dorothy Dalaty 
Dorothy's Playmates 
Dorothy Dainty at School 
Dorothy Dainty at the Shore 
Dorothy Dainty in the City 
Dorothy Dainty at Home 
Dorothy Dainty's Oay Times 
Dorothy Dainty in the Country 
Dorothy Dainty's Winter 
Dorothy Dainty In the Mountains 
Dorothy Dainty's Holidays 
Dorothy Dainty's Vacation 
Dorothy Dainty's Visit 
Dorothy Dainty at CrestvIIIe 
Dorothy Dainty's New Friends 
Dorothy Dainty at Qlenmore 
Dorothy Dainty at the Stone House 
Dorothy Dainty at Gem Island 


“Littxb Dorothy Dainty is one of the most generous-oearted of 
children. Selfishness is not at all a trait of hers, and she knows the value 
of making sunshine, not alone in her own heart, but for her neighbor- 
hood and friends.” — Bcston Courier. 


‘‘Dorothy Dainty, a little girl, the only child of wealthy parents, 
is an exceedingly interesting character, and her earnest and interesting 
life is full of action and suitable adventure.” — Pittsburg Christian Ad- 
vocate. 


‘‘No finer little lady than Dorothy Dainty was ever placed in a book 
for children.” — Teachers' yournal, Pittsbssrg. 


“Miss Brooks is a popular writer for the very little folks who can 
read. She has an immense sympathy for the children, and her stories 
never fail to be amusing.” — Rochester (^N. K.) Herald. 


LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.p BOSTON 


TUB PRUB BOOKS 

By AHY BROOKS 
lllustnited by the Author 12nio Cloth 


RUNNING little Prue,one of the most 
winsome little girls ever “ put in a 
book,” has already been met in another 
series where she gave no small part oi 
the interest. She well deserved books 
c5 her own for little girls of her age, 
and they are now ready with everything 
in the way of large, clear type, and 
Miss Brooks’s best pictures and her 
pleasing cover designs to make them 
attractive. 

Little Sister Prue Prue’s Merry Times 
Prue at School Prue*s Little Friends 

Prue’s Playmates Prue’s Jolly Winter 

“Miss Brooks always brings out the best 
ways of acting and living and provides a good 
deal of humor in her original country char* 
acters.'*— Boston. 

“Few writers have ever possessed the 
facility of reaching the hearts and holding the 
interest of little girl readers to tne extent Miss 
Brooks has. yourna/, Aug^ta,Mg. 

“To know Prue is to love her, for no 
more winsome little girl was ever put in a book, 
and her keen wit and unexpected Irolleries 
make her doubly attractive .” — Kindergarten Magazine. 




For mate by all bookaallen or seat postpaid oa receipt 
ot price by tbe publishers 

LOTHROP. LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTOM 


Only Dollie 


By Nina Rhoades Illustrated by Bertha Davidson 
Square i2mo Cloth 

T his is a brightly written story of a girl of 
twelve, who, when the mystery of her birth 
is solved, like Cinderella, passes from drudgery to 
better circumstances. There is nothing strained 
or unnatural at any point. All descriptions or 
portrayals of character are life-like, and the 
book has an indescribable appealing quality 
which wins sympathy and secures success. 

“It is delightful reading at all times ." — Cedar 
Rapids {la.) Repmblican. 

" It is well written, the story runs smoothly, the idea 
is good, and it is handled with aoility.” — Chicago 
Journal. 

The Little Girl Next Door 

By Nina Rhoades. Large i2mo 
by Bertha Davidson 

A DELIGHTFUL story of true and genuine friendship between an 
impulsive little girl in a fine New York home and a little blind girl 
in an apartment next door. The little girl’s determination to cultivate 
the acquaintance, begun out of the window' during a rainy day, triumphs 
over the barriers of caste, and the little blind girl proves to be in every 
way a worthy companion. Later a mystery of birth is cleared up, and the 
little blind girl proves to be of gentle birth as well as of gentle manners. 

Winifred *s Neighbors 

By Nina Rhoades Illustrated 
by Bertha G. Davidson Large 
1 2mo Cloth 

L ittle Winifred’s efforts to find some 
children of whom she reads in a book 
lead to the acquaintance of a neighbor 
of the same name, and this acquaintance 
proves of the greatest importance to Winifred’s 
own family. Through it all she is just such a 
little girl as other girls ought to know, and 
the story will hold the interest of all ages. 




Cloth Illustrated 


For sale by all booksellers., or sent postpaid on receipt 
of p>rice by the publishers, 

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON 





t 



A 





■ t 

t-' » 


l'* -■ 

' t 


/I 








1920 




